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Saint Eligius Saves the Basilica of Saint-Martial in Paris from Fire; Saint Eligius Cures a Crippled Man at the Tomb of Saint Denis
From a roll
Northern France, possibly Paris, or Picardy, possibly Noyon; mid-13th century
Musée Carnavalet, Paris, D.7075
The roll format was most frequently employed for illustrations of didactic texts and genealogical lists. This fragment was part of a roll that depicted scenes from a saint’s life, a much rarer use of the form. The drawings offer an accomplished instance of the elegant courtly style of thirteenth-century Paris, and figures are highlighted with lively touches of color and wash, evident in the modeled folds of Eligius’s vestments and in the raging fire surrounding the basilica.