The Church of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs (''Église Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs'') is a Catholic church in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

' Third arrondissement. Early parts of the church, including the west front, built 1420–1480, are in the

Flamboyant Flamboyant (from ) is a form of late Gothic architecture that developed in Europe in the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance, from around 1375 to the mid-16th century. It is characterized by double curves forming flame-like shapes in the bar-tr ...

Gothic style, while later portions, including the south portal, mostly built 1576–86, are examples of French Renaissance architecture. It is notable particularly for its Renaissance carved sculpture, decoration and large collection of French Renaissance paintings in the interior.

History

The first chapel was constructed at the end of the 11th century by the monks of the

Priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs The Priory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs was an influential monastery established in what is now the city of Paris, France. Its surviving buildings are considered treasures of Medieval architecture in the city. History Foundations The oldest known ...

, a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monastery, as a church for the servants of the abbey. The abbey at this time was one of the most important in France; it was called "The third daughter of Cluny", after

Cluny Abbey Cluny Abbey (; , formerly also ''Cluni'' or ''Clugny''; ) is a former Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was dedicated to Saint Peter. The abbey was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, with three churches ...

in Burgundy, the founding monastery of the order. It is located next to the Musée des Arts et Métiers, a museum of industrial arts and crafts, which occupies the site of the original Priory of Saint Martin, and preserves a portion of the old monastery.Dumoulin, Ardisson, Maingard and Antonello, ''Églises de Paris (2010)'', p. 50 At the time the abbey and chapel were built, they were outside the city walls, but gradually the city surrounded them, and the chapel was also used by the residents of the new neighbourhood that grew up around the priory. The church was rebuilt and enlarged at the end of the 12th century. The early features of the church, including the west front, the lower bell tower, the seven first traverses of the nave, and the first collateral aisle on the south side. These were built between 1420 and 1480 in the

late Gothic style. As the population continued to grow, the church was enlarged again between 1576 and 1586. Additional traverses were added to the nave, as well as double aisles on the lower collateral portions on the north and south, and very decorative portal to the south transept. The tower, originally separate, was surrounded by church structure and raised in height. All these additions were in the French Renaissance style. Another enlargement took place from 1613 to 1615. This added two additional traverses to the nave, as well as a double disambulatory with radiating chapels. The choir was enlarged and the

apse In architecture, an apse (plural apses; from Latin 'arch, vault' from Ancient Greek 'arch'; sometimes written apsis, plural apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome, also known as an ''exedra''. In ...

chapel and dome were constructed at the east end.Dumoulin, Ardisson, Maingard and Antonello, ''Églises de Paris (2010)'', p. 50 The church was closed during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

, and converted briefly into a Temple devoted to " Hymen and Fidelity". Much of the art was destroyed or disappeared. In December 1792, a painter and entrepreneur named Croupart received an order from the Revolutionary government to cover with plaster all the murals in a dozen of the chapels, "in order to remove the symbols of feudalism and superstition". It became a church again in 1802, and was fully restored between 1823 and 1829. It was shut down for three months during the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defended ...

(March–May 1871) and used as a socialist meeting hall. In 1995, the church became formally associated with

Emmanuel Community The Emmanuel Community is a Catholic association of the faithful of pontifical right, founded in 1972 by Pierre Goursat and Martine Lafitte-Catta, starting from a prayer group belonging to the Catholic charismatic renewal. History The Emmanuel ...

, an

evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...

Catholic movement.Dumolin, Ardisson (2010), p. 50 File:Plan de Paris vers 1550 abbaye-St-Martin-des-champs.jpg, The church in 1550 below the Priory of Saint Martin File:Commune de Paris club de Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs.jpg, Church transformed into a socialist meeting hall during

(April 1871) File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs - Façade ouest - Paris 03 - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00004571.jpg, The west front before 1892) File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs - Façade sud, Restes de l'ancien monastère - Paris 03 - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine - APMH00004574.jpg, Vestige of the old abbey next to the church (1892 - Médiathèque de l'architecture et du patrimoine)

Exterior

The bell tower is positioned slightly back from the west front. The lower portion dates to the 15th century, while the upper portion was rebuilt in the 17th century. The west front, or facade dates to the 15th century, and is Flamboyant in style, with three pignons or pointed gables corresponding to the nave and the two lower aisles. The outer pignons have small circular windows, and are connected with the central pignon with flying arches. The central west front has the main portal, framed by a pointed arch and a accolade and two buttresses. Above the portal is large window with three vertical ribs. Above the window is a larger gable, at the top of which is a small rose window with three lobes. All the sculpture on the west front dates from 1843. While the west front is Flamboyant, the south front features a Renaissance portal constructed at the end of the 16th century, with pilasters and columns representing the classical orders. Its decoration includes sculpted busts of women and angels sounding trumpets to the glory of God. On the west front, the underside of the porch is decorated with particularly elaborate carved oak sculpture from the 17th century. The consoles of the walls on the west front are decorated with sculpted figures of winged female figures sounding trumpets. File:Paris, France - panoramio (41).jpg, The west front File:P1340770 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-champs rwk.jpg, The west portal, in

Gothic style (15th c.) File:P1340774 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-champs detail statue porche rwk.jpg, Sculpture of the west portal (19th c.) File:Paris Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs125.JPG, Sculpture of angel with trumpet, south portal File:F1895 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-Champs detail portail sud rwk.jpg, Detail of the south portal, in Renaissance style (17th c.) File:P1340836 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-champs facade sud rwk.jpg, South front and transept, with pinnacles on the concealed arches File:P1340827 Paris III eglise St-Nocolas-des-champs detail tour rwk.jpg, Detail of the tower, with gargoyles to eject rain water

Interior

File:Saint-nicolas-des-champs, interno 01.JPG, The nave from the west, facing the choir File:P1340816 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-champs travée rwk.jpg, The choir and transept, with classical columns File:Columns @ Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (34104983571).jpg, Flamboyant vaults of the choir The most striking sight of the interior is the forest of one hundred columns. The Flamboyant interior was largely modified in the 17th and 18th century to meet the demands of the more classical style of French Renaissance architecture style. The Gothic pillars that supported the arcades and vaults in the choir were replaced by classical

Doric order The Doric order was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of col ...

columns, topped by

pilasters In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall ...

in the

Ionic style The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite ...

. In addition, most of the stained glass in the upper widows was removed and replaced with white glass, to bring more light into the interior, and to make it easier to read texts. The oldest part of the interior, from the fifteenth century, contains the seven first traverses of the nave, and the first collateral aisle on the south side. In the 16th century, the next four traverses were added, and a second lower aisle on the south, and two new lower aisles on the north. At the beginning of the 17th century, the final two traverses were added, along with the choir, the double disambulatory, or aisles around the east end behind the choir; and the chapels in the

.Dumolin, Ardisson (2010), p. 51

Interior of the west porch (17th c.)

File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (33425085013).jpg, Carved interior decoration of the west porch File:Plafond de menuiserie, porche ouest.jpg, Carved ceiling of the west porch (17th c.) File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (34078562802).jpg, Detail of the carved and gilded interior, west porch File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (33851663610).jpg, Detail of the west porch carvings The west porch is the

vestibule Vestibule or Vestibulum can have the following meanings, each primarily based upon a common origin, from early 17th century French, derived from Latin ''vestibulum, -i n.'' "entrance court". Anatomy In general, vestibule is a small space or cavity ...

of the church, and was frequently used for ceremonies, including baptisms, blessings of wedded couples, and the presentation of alms to the poor. The wood carving and sculpture was made in 1647–1649 by Adrien Lepautre and

Philippe de Buyster Philippe de Buyster (1595 – 1688), was a Flemish-French sculptor. Biography He was born in Antwerp and became a pupil of Gillis van Papenhoven. File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (33851453770).jpg, Retable of Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs (1629) File:Sarrazin, Jacques, Anges du maître-autel.jpg, The Assumption of the Virgin" (top painting), by Simon Vouet File:Vouet, détail.jpg, Detail of "The Assumption of the Virgin" lower painting in Retable by Simon Vouet File:Trasaltar St. Nicolas des Champs.jpg, The Retable (1629) The most dramatic feature of the interior is the retable, or altarpiece. It was finished in 1629, and is one of the rare examples a major altarpiece from the 17th century in Paris. The altar was made by the sculptor

Jacques Sarazin Jacques Sarazin or Sarrazin (baptised 8 June 1592 in Noyon – died 3 December 1660 in Paris) was a French sculptor in the classical tradition of Baroque art. He was instrumental in the development of the Style Louis XIV through his own work ...

(1592–1660. It occupies the entire choir, and takes the architectural form of the Jesuit churches of Rome. It was designed primarily to display two paintings by Simon Vouet (1590–1649): "The Apostles at the Tomb of the Virgin" (Bottom) and "The Assumption of the Virgin", top. depicting the glory of heaven. A group of angels at the top the lower painting serves as a link between the two subjects.Dumolin, Ardisson (2010), p. 51

Frescos

File:Résurrection Corneille intégrale 2.jpg, The Resurrection fresco vault, by

Michel Corneille the Elder Michel Corneille the Elder (c. 1601 – 1664) was a French painter, etcher, and engraver. Life Corneille was born in Orléans. He was one of many who studied with the celebrated master Simon Vouet, who strongly influenced French painting of th ...

(1601-1664), File:Résurrection Corneille cartouche central 2.jpg, Detail of the Resurrection fresco vault, by

(1601-1664) File:Varin, Quentin, La Chute des anges rebelles.jpg, "Fall of the Rebel Angels", by Quentin Varin (Chapel 16) File:Les anges et le suaire 2.jpg, Vault of Chapel 21 (south side), with angels and the Holy Shroud File:Chaperon, Nicolas, L'Annonce aux bergers.jpg, The Announciation to the Shepherds, by

Nicolas Chaperon Nicolas Chaperon (bapt. 19 October 1612, in Châteaudun – 1656 in Lyon) was a French painter, draughtsman and engraver, a student in Paris of Simon Vouet whose style he adopted before he was further matured by his stay in Rome (1642–51) in ...

(1612-1656) The Frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the chapels represent the work of some of the major French artists of the 17th century.

was a student of Poussin in Rome, and Michel Corneille the Elder and Quentin Varin created major decorative work in Paris churches. The most famous work of

, "St. Paul and St. Barnabas at Lystra", is found in Notre Dame de Paris.

Paintings in Chapels

The thirty-three chapels of the church present a varied and colourful galley of works by major French religious painters, as well as Italians and Spaniards, of the 16th and 17th centuries. File:Trotti, Circoncision.jpg, "The Circoncision of Christ" by

Giovanni Battista Trotti Giovanni Battista Trotti (1555 – 11 June 1612) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance period, active mainly in Piacenza, Parma, and his native city of Cremona. In Cremona, he was initially a pupil of Bernardino Campi, whose niece h ...

(1559-1619)(Chapel of the Saviour, Disambulatory) File:Noël Hallé - Le Christ et les enfants, 1775.jpg, "Christ and the Children" by Noël Hallé (1775), (Chapel 1) File:Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (33424865223).jpg, "Saint Louis giving alms", (Chapel 8) File:Saint Paul Saint Roch et l'ange.jpg, "Saint Roche and the Angel" by

Claude Simpol Claude Simpol, ''Claude Saint-Pol'' or ''Claude Saint-Paul'' (c. 1666 – before 1711) was a French painter. Life Born in Clamecy, he studied under Boullogne and frère Luc. He was admitted to the Académie de Saint-Luc on 23 March 1695 and w ...

(c. 1680-1700) (Chapel 17, now entrance to sacristy) File:Lallemant, Georges, Notre-Dame de pitié 2.jpg, "The Virgin of Pity" by Georges Lallemant (Chapel of Compassion, left collateral aisle)) File:La Madone de Vic.jpg, "The Madonna of the Vic Family", by the

Frans Pourbus the Younger Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569–1622) was a Flemish painter, son of Frans Pourbus the Elder and grandson of Pieter Pourbus. He was born in Antwerp and died in Paris. He is also referred to as "Frans II". Pourbus worked for many of the highly ...

(1617) "The Circumcision of Christ" by

(1559-1619) was an important Italian Mannerist painter. This work was seized by Napoleon's army from a chapel in

Cremona Cremona (, also ; ; lmo, label= Cremunés, Cremùna; egl, Carmona) is a city and ''comune'' in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po river in the middle of the ''Pianura Padana'' ( Po Valley). It is the capital of th ...

during his Italian campaign, like a number of paintings in Paris churches, and was carried to Paris. It is now found in the Chapel of the Saviour in the disambulatory. One important early work is "The Madonna of the Vic Family", by the celebrated Flemish portrait painter,

(1617). It portrays

Louis IX Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), commonly known as Saint Louis or Louis the Saint, was King of France from 1226 to 1270, and the most illustrious of the Direct Capetians. He was crowned in Reims at the age of 12, following the d ...

with his sword, sceptre, and golden spurs, adoring the Virgin and the Christ Child. It takes its name from the donors, Méry and Dominique Vic, who also appear in the painting. It is found in chapel 23, the Chapel of Saint Anne,on the disambulatory around the apse. Another important early work is "The Virgin of Pity" by Georges Lallemant, found in the Chapel of Compassion on the left collateral aisle. In addition to the Virgin and Christ, it depicts Nicodemus and Joseph of Aramathea, as well as Saint John and

Mary Magdelene Mary Magdalene (sometimes called Mary of Magdala, or simply the Magdalene or the Madeleine) was a woman who, according to the four canonical gospels, traveled with Jesus as one of his followers and was a witness to his crucifixion and resurre ...

at the feet of Christ. The more modern Spanish realist painter

Leon Bonnat Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

1833-1922) is represented by the painting "Saint Vincent de Paul" repurchases the galley slaves", found in the Chapel of the Holy Family in the left collateral aisle. His works are also found in the Panthéon and the Hotel de Ville, Paris. The disambulatory is also decorated with a modern work by the contemporary artist Jean-Paul Froidevaux. an updated version of the Stations of the Cross. in vivid and warm colors.

Stained glass

File:Paris Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs45.JPG, Stained glass of the choir File:Paris Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs121.JPG, Stained glass of the choir File:Paris-Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs4.JPG, Stained glass depicting of marriage of Mary and Joseph File:Paris-Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs2.JPG, Detail of stained glass File:Paris-Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs98.JPG, Detail of border of stained glass The stained glass windows, like most such windows during the Baroque and classical period, were made with largely white glass, designed to admit a maximum of light, to make reading text easier and to make the art inside more visible. The figures and details on most of the stained glass in this period was painted on the glass with various mineral compounds such as silver stain, then baked onto the glass, to give three dimensions and shading and other effects similar to paintings.

Organs

File:Organ @ Eglise Saint-Nicolas des Champs @ Paris (33424857223).jpg, View of the grand organ over the west end File:P1340810 Paris III eglise St-Nicolas-des-champs orgue rwk.jpg, Case of the grand organ File:St Nicolas des Champs-orgue de choeur.jpg, The choir organ (1845) File:Ejemplo de partitura en el sistema braille.jpeg, Musician notation for blind musicians developed by

Louis Braille Louis Braille (; ; 4 January 1809 – 6 January 1852) was a French educator and the inventor of a reading and writing system, named braille after him, intended for use by visually impaired people. His system is used worldwide and remains virtua ...

, church organist (1834-39) The present

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

is a 17th-century instrument rebuilt in 1777 by

François-Henri Clicquot François-Henri (also Henry) Clicquot (1732 – 24 May 1790) was a French organ builder and was the grandson of Robert Clicquot and son of Louis-Alexandre Cliquot, who were also noted organ builders. Clicquot was born in Paris, where he later ...

and further modified in 1930, when a Expression pedal was added. Among the organists who worked at the church were Nicolas Gigault (1652–1707), Etienne Richard (1651–1669),

(1834–1839), François-Xavier Joseph Wackenthaler (1854–1855),

Jean-Chrisostome Hess Jean-Chrisostome Hess (26 January 1816 – 8 March 1900) was one of the most prolific French composers of salon music for the piano as well as transcriptions of popular songs and arias from operas. He was also active as an organist, pianist, and te ...

(1855–c.1889), and

Michel Chapuis Michel Chapuis (born 18 June 1941) is a French sprint canoer who competed in the early 1960s. He won the silver medal in the C-2 1000 m event at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metrop ...

(1954–1972). From 1834 to 1839, the organist of the church was

, the author of the famous reading and writing system for the blind, and pioneer of a method to allow the blind or visually-impaired to read music. He was blind in both eyes. During his time at the church he revised his 1829 book, "Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged for Them.' It was republished in 1837.Mellor, p. 78. A smaller organ in the choir, housed in finely-sculpted wooden case, was installed in 1845, To hear the main organ being played at a 1935 concert with its full range of effects (four minutes), click link below:

Notes and Citations

Bibliography (in French)

*Dumoulin, Aline; Ardisson, Alexandra; Maingard, Jérôme; Antonello, Murielle; ''Églises de Paris'' (2010), Éditions Massin, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, *Hillairet, Jacques; ''Connaissance du Vieux Paris''; (2017); Éditions Payot-Rivages, Paris; (in French).

(in English)

External links

* *
Official website
*
Emmanuel Community
*

{{Coord, 48.8653, N, 2.35389, E, source:kolossus-nlwiki, display=title Roman Catholic churches in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris