07 works, Today, October 1st, is Saint Remigius' day, his story illustrated #273

Master of Saint Giles

The Baptism of Clovis, circa 1500

Oil on panel

Height: 61.5 cm (24.2 in); Width: 45.5 cm (17.9 in)

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C

The Master of Saint Giles was a Franco-Flemish painter active, probably in Paris, about 1500, working in a delicate Late Gothic manner, with rendering of textures and light and faithful depictions of actual interiors that show his affinities with Netherlandish painting. It is not clear whether the Master of Saint Giles was a French painter who trained in the Low Countries, or a Netherlander who emigrated to France.

His pseudonym was given him by Max Friedländer, who reconstructed part of the anonymous painter's oeuvre, starting from two panels that were part of the lefthand shutter of an altarpiece, and two further panels, now in Washington, from the same altarpiece. The hand of an assistant can be discerned in the Baptism of Clovis at the National Gallery of Art, Washington. All four panels have, or had, single grisaille figures of saints (Saints Peter, Giles, Denis and an unidentified bishop-saint) in niches, imitating sculpture, on the reverse. The Washington pair, which were in poor condition, have been separated and are lost, although photographs exist. Undoubtedly there were further panels, whose subjects cannot be guessed, as the combination of scenes is original. More on The Master of Saint Giles

Saint Remigius of Rheims (French: Saint Rémi or Saint Rémy), Apostle to the Franks (437–533), was Bishop of Rheims from 459 to 533. During the seventy-four years that he was bishop he was the most influential prelate in Gaul, with the culminating event of his life being the baptism in 496 AD of Clovis, King of the Franks, and over 3000 of his warriors. This led to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Nicene Christianity, and was a momentous success for the Orthodox Church as well as a seminal event in European history. 

Remigius was born in 437 in northern Gaul, into the highest levels of Gallo-Roman society. He is said to have been the son of Emilius, count of Laon and of Celina, daughter of the Bishop of Soissons, which Clovis had conquered in 486.

Unknown artist

Saint Remigius'Story, last quarter of the 9th century

Picardy Museum in Amiens

Late Carolingian ivory binding, c. 870, with miracles from the life of Saint Remigius. Top: The dying pagan asks Saint Remi for baptism, Centre: the Hand of God fills the two vials, Bottom: the dove of the Holy spirit delivering the Holy Ampulla at the Baptism of Clovis. The plaque manages to cover two versions of the story. More on The plaque 

After studying at Reims for awhile, devoting himself to secular and sacred learning, Remigius withdrew to a small house near Laon, to live in reclusion and prayer. However when a bishop was needed in Rheims, the clergy and people, having noted Remigius for his learning and sanctity, in addition to his high status, carried him off from his hermitage and made him their bishop in his twenty-second year, in 459 AD, though still a layman.

The holy bishop soon became renowned throughout northern Gaul. He converted heretics, brought Arian heretics back to the Orthodox Faith, and cared for the many who suffered at the hands of barbarian marauders. Wherever he went, miracles attended him. He healed the sick, and once, when a town was on fire, threw himself into the flames and quenched them. Birds would come to his table whenever he ate, and he would share his meal with them.

UNKNOWN MASTER, Swiss (active 1490-1510 in northern Switzerland)

St Remigius and the Burning Wheat , c. 1500-05

Oil, gold, and white metal on wood panel, 138 x 78 cm

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

This scene from Remigius's legend. Foreseeing a poor harvest, he filled a barn with a store of wheat, only to discover later that a group of drunken peasants set fire to the provisions.

Remigius is known through the legend of the Baptism of the Moribund Pagan, according to which a dying pagan asked for baptism at the hands of Remigius, but when it was found that there was no Oil of the Catechumens or sacred Chrism available for the proper administration of the baptismal ceremony, Remigius ordered two empty vials be placed on an altar and as he prayed before them the two vials miraculously filled respectively with the necessary Oil of the Catechumens and Chrism.

UNKNOWN MASTER, Swiss (active 1490-1510 in northern Switzerland)

Saint Remigius Replenishing the Barrel of Wine, c. 1500-05

Oil, gold, and white metal on wood panel, 138 x 78 cm

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

In 482 the young warrior Clovis became leader of the Frankish tribes in that region. Though he was a pagan, he knew and admired St. Remigius, and was married to a Christian, St. Clotilde (June 3). 

Ary Scheffer, (1795–1858) 

Bataille de Tolbiac 496, c. 1836

Oil on canvas

415 × 465 cm (13.6 × 15.2 ft)

Palace of Versailles

Ary Scheffer, (b Dordrecht, 10 Feb. 1795; d Argenteuil, 15 June 1858). Dutch-born painter and lithographer who spent virtually all his career in Paris and became a French citizen in 1850. His work was immensely popular in his lifetime, but is now generally considered sentimental. Early in his career he favoured literary themes (Francesca da Rimini, 1835, Wallace Coll., London, and other versions), but later he turned to mawkishly treated religious subjects (St Augustine and St Monica, 1854, NG, London, and other versions). More on Ary Scheffer

 Joseph Blanc, (French, 1846-1904)

The Battle of Tolbiac, c. 19th century

Oil on canvas

Pantheon in Paris, France.

Paul-Joseph Blanc (25 January 1846, Paris - 5 July 1904, Paris) was a French painter who specialized in scenes from ancient history and mythology.

He studied at the École des Beaux Arts. In 1867, he was awarded the Prix de Rome for painting for his work The Murder of Laius by Œdipus and was named a Professor at the École in 1889. His studio in Montmartre also served as an art school.

In addition to his favorite subjects, he produced many portraits of politicians.

He participated in the decoration of several buildings; among them the Panthéon, where he painted The Vow of Clovis at the Battle of Tolbiac, The Baptism of Clovis and The Triumph of Clovis. His decorative paintings may also be seen at the Opéra-Comique and the Hôtel de Ville. More on Joseph Blanc

Once, when his army faced defeat by the Alemanii, Clovis prayed to "the God of Clotilde and Remigius" and won a great victory. This answer to his prayers convinced him of the truth of the Christian Faith, and he asked St. Remigius to instruct him. Two years later he gathered all his chieftains in Rheims to attend his baptism. The baptism was accompanied by many miracles, seen by all in attendance. Two of the king's sisters and three thousand of his lords and soldiers were baptized at the ceremony. This event is considered the birth of France as a Christian nation.

French School, (16th century)

Scenes from the Life of St. Remigius, c. 1531

Tapestry. Date: 1531

Musee Saint-Remi, Reims, France

In great old age, St Remigius went blind, but miraculously recovered his sight. He reposed in peace at the age of 105, immediately after serving the Divine Liturgy. More on Saint Remigius

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