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Show 168 Early Western Travels [ Vol. * 6 abroad rays of light. The high altar and the tabernacle stand below, and die decorations on festal occasions, as well as the vestments of the officiating priests, are splendid and imposing. Ova: the bishop's seat, in a side arch of the sanctuary, hangs a beautiful painting of St. Louis, titular of the cathedral, presented by the amiable Louis XVI. of France previous to his exile. ut At the bottom of each of the side aisles of the church stand two chapels, at the same elevation with the sanctuary. Between two fluted columns of the Ionic order is suspended, in each chapel, an [ 141] altar-piece, with a valuable painting above. The piece on the left represents St. Vincent of Gaul engaged in charity on a winter's day, and the picture above is the marriage of the blessed Virgin. The altar- piece of the right represents St. Patrick of Ireland in his pontifical robes, and above is a painting of our Saviour and the centurion, said to be by Paul Veronese. At the opposite extremity of the building, near the side entrances, are two valuable pieces; one said to be by Rubens, of the Virgin and Child, the other the martyrdom of St. Bartholemew. 1" Above rise extensive galleries in three rows; to the right is the baptismal font, and a landscape of the Saviour's immersion in Jordan. Beneath the sanctuary of the church is the lower chapel, divided into three aisles by as many arches, supported by pilasters, which, as well as the walls, are painted to imitate marble. There is here an altar and a marble tabernacle, where mass is performed during the week, and the chapel u> The painting of St. Louis was presented by Louis XVm to Bishop Louis Guillaume Valentin Du Bourg, while the latter was in Europe ( 1815- 17).- ED. 119 For the early appreciation of fine arts in St Louis, see the chapter entitled " Art and Artists," written by H. H. Morgan and W. M. Bryant in Scharf, St. Louis, ii, pp. 1617- 1627. Scharf, in speaking of the paintings in the St. Louis cathedral says, " of course the paintings of the old masters are copies, not originals."- ED. |