Window w.212, located high in the south choir clerestory of Bourges Cathedral, dates from c.1210–1215 and belongs to the earliest glazing phase of the High Gothic choir. The window presents two Evangelists, Mark and Luke, and one Apostle, Matthias. 

This trio forms part of a wider apostolic–evangelist cycle distributed around the clerestory, each figure shown as a monumental standing saint set within a richly patterned Gothic frame.

Left Lancet – St Mark

St Mark is rendered with the intense colour palette characteristic of the early Bourges workshops: ruby, sapphire, emerald, and amber glazes used in dense, geometric patterning. His head is framed by a red halo, and he wears the distinctive mantle with cross-hatched and stippled shading typical of c.1210 French glass painting.

Mark is one of the four Evangelists, traditionally symbolised by the winged lion (not depicted here, as single-figure apostolic windows often omit symbolic beasts).

Centre Lancet – St Luke

St Luke is shown frontally, holding a Gospel book and dressed in luminous ochre, deep blue, and soft white tones. His facial type—rounded cheeks, large almond eyes, and carefully modelled beard—is characteristic of early 13th-century Bourges figures.

Luke’s usual symbol, the winged ox, is not included; instead, he is presented in the dignified apostolic manner reserved for the clerestory cycle. His presence beside Mark reflects the pairing found in several medieval Gospel cycles.

Right Lancet – St Matthias

Matthias holds a book, identifying him as a witness to the Resurrection. Unlike Matthew—who usually carries a book or money bag and is paired with his symbol, the winged man, Matthias has no distinctive medieval attribute, which contributed to earlier confusion.

The figure’s posture, layered drapery, and strong red–blue border are entirely consistent with the c.1210 glazing campaign.

Stylistic Notes

Window 212 displays the defining characteristics of the early Gothic glazing at Bourges:

• Saturated primary colours used in alternating geometric borders

• Tall elongated figures with expressive faces and heavy drapery folds

• Architectural canopy fragments above the halos

• Minimal narrative detail, focusing on the saint as a timeless exemplar

• Inscription bands providing the principal means of identification

These stylistic elements link the window to the same workshop responsible for the great north and south choir aisles.

Significance

Although commonly grouped as an “Evangelist window,” w.212 actually represents a mixed grouping of two Evangelists (Mark, Luke) and one Apostle (Matthias). This reflects the cathedral’s broader clerestory programme, in which evangelists and apostles are presented in alternating bays, creating a complete visual college of New Testament witnesses encircling the choir.

The window is one of the finest examples of early 13th-century single-figure stained glass surviving at Bourges, notable for its exceptional preservation and vivid colour harmonies.