Saint Servatius Crushing a Dragon, with Saint Michael Weighing Souls below (from a series with The Virgin Mary and Five Standing Saints)
The three left lancets were originally placed over the three right lancets to form one towering window. The upper and lower sections of each panel relate to one another visually and symbolically. St. Servatius, bishop of Tongres, holds a key presented to him by the pope in recognition of his fight against heresy, represented by the dragon he crushes underfoot. Below Servatius, St. Michael echoes this antiheretical reference as he weighs souls and tramples the devil. The Virgin appears here in the Ährenkleid, a robe adorned with representations of corn or wheat. This iconographic type originated in litanies to the Virgin likening her to a field of grain nourishing humankind with the bread of life - a reference to the Eucharist and the sacrifice of Mary's son. Beneath the Virgin are the arms of the bishop of Liège, whose diocese may have donated the window. St. Catherine appears with her attribute, the wheel of her martyrdom; below her are the arms of the coopers' guild of which she was patron saint. St. Dorothea appears with her attributes, the Christ Child and a basket of roses; below her is a representation of the Trinity, echoed in the three flowers held by the saint. St. Barbara appears with the tower of her martyrdom; below her are the arms of the city of Maastricht, the former capital of the diocese of Liège.
Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
