Visiting timetable10:00 AM – 05:15 PM
|Monday, December 29, 20251 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
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stained-glass
Iconography in Color: Saint‑Denis Stained Glass Program
A guide to Saint‑Denis’s stained glass: themes, colors, and how cycles teach theology in light.
1/8/2026
16 min read
Stained glass at Saint‑Denis is didactic color. Cycles narrate scripture and kingship; chromatic hierarchies guide attention and reading. Windows act as luminous manuscripts for the moving body.
🎨 Chromatic Grammar
- Blue: Contemplative depth, Marian associations.
- Red: Action and sacrifice.
- Gold: Glory and sanctity.
- Green: Creation and renewal.
| Cycle | Theme | Color Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Prophets | Expectation | Deep blues |
| Kings | Authority | Red‑gold accents |
| Virtues | Ethics | Balanced palette |
| Passion | Sacrifice | Red fields |
🧩 Panel Composition
- Lead cames: Draw contours and logic.
- Tracery: Governs panel geometry.
- Light management: Color density vs readability.
Color is theology you can read in light.
About the Author
Art Historian
As a Paris lover and travel writer, I created this guide to help visitors connect with Saint-Denis — from the birth of Gothic light to the intimate presence of royal memory.
Tags
Saint-Denis
Stained Glass
Iconography
Color
Choir
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