ORIGIN, SYMBOLISM AND DESIGN OF THE CHARTRES LABYRINTH
by Robert Ferre
Needless to say, I find the topic very fascinating. The construction
of Chartres Cathedral represents a very special window in time when great
learning was still associated with religious intent. In stone and glass,
in art and iconography, it represents the highest theological and philosophical
aspirations of the Middle Ages. Therefore, so does the labyrinth, which
is a microcosm of the cathedral as a who
le.
The labyrinth pattern used in Chartres Cathedral had been known for several hundred years. It had been inscribed in churches in Italy, on the wall and also on the floor (but too small to walk). It was only in France that labyrinths were put in the most prominent possible location (the middle of the nave) and made large enough to walk. In Chartres, the design was enhanced in many ways, including symbolic proportions, the addition of partial circles around the perimeter (a lunar calendar) and the placement of six petals in the center.
So elegant was this expression of the labyrinth that it became the model for many other churches, within a certain range of variation. This book covers the history of the Chartres labyrinth, its possible origins, and its symbolism. It also goes into some detail describing why the pattern itself is so unique, expressing such values as rhythm, reflection, and amplitude.
If you love the Chartres labyrinth as I do, and want to know more about it, then this is your book. Some of the illustrations and conclusions are my own, and don't exist in any other book. I also take exception to certain things that other authors have written about the Chartres labyrinth that I feel to be inaccurate. This may not be my final statement about the Chartres labyrinth, but it is a big step in that direction.
48 pages
Cost: $10
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