The Marian and Donor Cycle in the south ambulatory of Bourges Cathedral represents one of the finest achievements of 15th-century French glass painting. Executed around 1467, this sequence of windows illustrates scenes from the Annunciation and Adoration of the Magi, accompanied by donor portraits and saintly intercessors. Together they form a visual synthesis of devotion, dynastic patronage, and theological reflection, linking the mystery of the Incarnation with the piety of the patrons who endowed the work.

The cycle’s unity of composition, refined draughtsmanship, and controlled palette, dominated by deep ruby, sapphire blue, and emerald green, mark the culmination of the Flamboyant Gothic glazing tradition in Berry before the gradual adoption of Renaissance motifs later in the century.

Interpretation

The Marian and Donor Cycle expresses the central themes of Incarnation, Adoration, and Intercession. It binds together the celestial and the terrestrial, depicting a continuum from divine revelation (Annunciation) through human homage (Adoration) to the patron’s own devotion (Donor panels).

The presence of heraldic motifs and personalised saints underscores the role of the windows as both instruments of prayer and monuments of dynastic self-representation. In doing so, they exemplify the late medieval synthesis of theology, artistry, and lineage that characterized the Loire–Berry courts.

Condition

All three windows remain substantially original. Minor 19th-century interventions by the cathedral restoration studio affected only the border tracery and small areas of canopy glass. The silver stain and vitreous paint survive in exceptional clarity, preserving the vibrant palette and fine facial detail characteristic of Bourges’ mid-15th-century glazing.