Statues - Hither & Thither |
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Metz
Moselle Lorraine Place Jean-Paul II
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Sculptures sur la CathédraleSculptures at the Cathedral |
Auguste Dujardin
1874-1903 |
The building of the cathedral began in 1220 was completed around 1520.
In 1755, French architect Jacques-François Blondel was awarded by the Royal Academy of Architecture to build a Neoclassical portal at the West end of the cathedral. He disengaged the cathedral's facade by razing an adjacent cloister and three attached churches and achieved the westwork in 1764.
In 1877, the cathedral was heavily damaged after a conflagration due to fireworks. After this incident, it was decided to refurbish the cathedral and its adornments in a Neogothic style, the architect was Paul Tornow and the sculptor Auguste Dujardin. The western facade was completely rebuilt between 1898 and 1903; Blondel's portal was demolished and a new Neogothic portal was added. The statues of Faith and Hope from Blondel's were placed in two churches in Saint-Avold (see Faith and Hope).
There are numerous large and small statues and reliefs on the exterior of the cathedral. We have only photographed the larger statues and reliefs.
 1. Portal du Christ |
 3. Portail de la Vierge |
Designed and executed by the architect Paul Tornow and the sculptor Auguste Dujardin, 1898-1903.
Trumeau
 Christ, standing on a lion and a dragon, making a blessing gesture and holding the bible. |
 King David (c. 1040-970 BCE), second king of the United Kingdom of Israel, and an ancestor of Jesus (Wikipedia) |
Tympan
Jamb statues, left
 Three apostles |
 Three apostles, St. Peter to the right. |
 Three apostles, St. Paul to the left |
 Three apostles |
| Left | Right | ||
 St. Étienne / St. Stephen, protomartyr (Wikipedia) |
 One of the bishops of Metz |
 St. Paul the Apostle, (c. 5 - c. 67 ), persecuted the early followers of Jesus before switching sides and seeking to join them. He was instrumental in creating the Christian Church. He is the protector of tent-makers, theologians and the ecclesiastical press and is depicted with a sword. (Wikipedia). |
 One of the bishops of Metz |
 Isaïe / Isaiah, prophet (Wikipedia). |
 Jérémie / Jeremiah, prophet (Wikipedia). |
 Ezéchiel / Ezekiel, prophet (Wikipedia). |
 Daniel, protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Bible (Wikipedia). The prophet had originally the face of Emperor William II, see below |
For the statue of Daniel the sculptor used the face of Emperor William II as his model. Shortly after World War I the hands of the statue were handcufffed and a scroll with the text 'Sic transit gloria mundi' was added. Several postcards were made of this situation, although handcuffs and sign were soon removed. Later, the sculptor removed the mustache so that the resemblance with the emperor was less obvious. - In the report of the inauguration in the Dutch newspaper De Tijd of 17 May 1903 however was written that the statue had no mustache.
 Christ King |
 St. Michel / St. Michael the Archangel, the field commander of the Army of God. He is often depicted slaying Satan represented as a dragon, and with a shield with text quis ut deus (Who is like God?, a literal translation of the name Michael). (Wikipedia). |
Clock
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| Angels flanking the clock, above the clock an angel with a shield with the year 1897 | ||
Turrets flanking the west window
 L'Église / The Church (Wikipedia) |
 La Synagogue / The Synagogue (Wikipedia) |
| Trumeau | Tympan |
 Notre Dame |
 (top) Le Couronnement de Marie / The Coronation of Mary (center) la Dormition / the Dormition (bottom) La réunion des Apôtres / The meeting of the Apostles |
 L'Église / The Church |
 St. Mathieu / St. Matthew one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the four Evangelists. His attribute is an angel. As patron saint of book-keepers, tax collectors and security forces, he is also depicted with writing utensils (Wikipedia). St. Marc / St. Mark one the four Evangelists. His attribute is a lion (Wikipedia). |
 St. Luc / St. Luke one of the four Evangelists. His attribute is an ox or bull, usually having wings (Wikipedia). St. Jean l'évangéliste / St. John the Evangelist conventional name for the author of the Gospel of John - considered to be the same person as John the Apostle (Wikipedia). |
 La Synagogue / The Synagogue, blindfolded woman |
Jamb statues, left
 St. Clement of Metz / St. Clément de Metz first bishop of Metz, 3rd century. He holds the dragon Graoully on a chain (Wikipedia). |
 St. Grégoire I / St. Gregory I, pope 590-604 (Wikipedia) St. Hélène / St. Helena, the consort of the Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus and the mother of the emperor Constantine the Great (Wikipedia) |
 St. Étienne / St. Stephen, protomartyr (Wikipedia) St. Cécile / St. Cecilia, patron saint of musicians and Church music because as she was dying she sang to God (Wikipedia). |
 St. Jean Baptiste / St. John the Baptist (c. 6 BC- c. 36 AD), itinerant preacher and a major religious figure who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River. He baptized Jesus at "Bethany beyond the Jordan." (Wikipedia). St. Anne / St. Ann mother of the Virgin Mary. She is often depicted with Mary as a child or a young girl (Wikipedia). |
 St. Joachim, the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus (Wikipedia). |
 St. Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ (in distinction to God, his "heavenly father") (Wikipedia). Ste. Lucie / St. Lucy (283-304), martyr (Wikipedia) |
 St. Laurent / St. Lawrence, (c. 225 - 258), one of the seven deacons of ancient Rome who were martyred during the persecution of Valerian. Usually holding a gridiron and wearing a dalmatic (Wikipedia). Ste. Monique / St. Monica (4th century), mother of St. Augustine of Hippo (Wikipedia) |
 St. Jerôme (c. 347-420), theologian and historian (Wikipedia) St. Arnoul / St. Arnulf of Metz (c. 582-640), bishop of Metz, 613-628 (Wikipedia) |
 (top) Jugement Dernier / the Last Judgement (bottom left) Résurrection / Resurrection (bottom right) Ascension |
 13th century: (top) Crucifixion (bottom left) Flagellation du Christ / Flagellation of Christ, (bottom right) Montée au Calvaire / Ascent of the Calvary |
 (left, stair tower) Angel with sundial |
 (top left) King |
 (top right) King |
| South buttress | North buttress | ||||
 Man with flute |
 Man with bagpipe |
 Man with unidentified musical instrument |
 Man with small guitar |
 Man with mandoline |
 Girl with mandoline |
 Angel with trumpet |
 Angel with censer |
 Angel with sun |
 Angel with portrait medaillon |
 Angel with censer |
 Angel with flute |
 Bestiaire et morale (analysis). |
 Le bestiaire de Thèbes (analysis). |
 La bestialité de l'Homme (analysis). |
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 Top: square 1-4 David and Goliath; square 5 Lamech kills Cain Bottom: David's battle with the Amalekites or the life of St. Maurice |
 The discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and St. Constantin. The last square shows the conversion of St. Paul |
 (top) The History of St. Margareth (bottom) The Martyre of St. Stephen |
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 St. Étienne / St. Stephen, protomartyr (Wikipedia) |
 Reliefs |
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 Crucifix, sculpted in 1894 by Dujardin. |
 St. Pierre / St. Peter |
 Christ and ? |
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 (Left pinnacle) St. Nicolas / St. Nicholas (4th century), Bishop of Myra (Wikipedia). |
 (top of gable above window) St. Étienne / St. Stephen, protomartyr (Wikipedia). Signed: Renn fec. |
 (Right pinnacle) Saint with church model |
 (top of gable) La Vierge à l'Enfant |
 (rooftop) Angel with trumpet |
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