This important 15th-century window, presented to Évreux Cathedral by King Louis XI between 1467 and 1469, forms a coherent narrative sequence spanning Christ’s Resurrection to the Last Judgement. Executed by a highly skilled Norman glazing workshop, the window displays the rich colour, detailed architectural framing, and expressive figure painting characteristic of late medieval glass in Upper Normandy. The eight main scenes are arranged in two registers, each illustrating a key moment in salvation history.1

In the upper left panel, Christ rises triumphantly from the tomb, surrounded by a blaze of radiating colour. His body, modelled in soft flesh tones, stands in stark contrast to the sleeping soldiers slumped around the sarcophagus. Their armour and shields are rendered with lively detail, emphasising their helplessness before the divine event. The composition stresses both the physical reality of the Resurrection and its supernatural force.

To the right, the Ascension is shown with the apostles gazing upward as Christ is lifted into heaven. Only Christ’s feet are visible,in the medieval convention of emphasising the mystery of his departure. The apostles stand grouped below, their postures expressive of awe and confusion. The framing and sky treatment help to convey the movement from earth to the divine realm.

The third panel illustrates Pentecost, with the Holy Spirit descending as a dove upon the assembled apostles. The figures are tightly grouped around the Virgin Mary, who sits calmly at the centre, visually anchoring the composition. The colour contrasts of red, blue, and yellow-stain highlight the drama of this pivotal moment for the early Church.

The final panel of the upper register depicts the Last Judgement. Christ appears enthroned in heaven. Angels below him are blowing trumpets to awaken the dead. Figures rise from their graves or look upwards toward salvation. Even within the constraints of a single panel, the glazing workshop conveys the grandeur and finality of the event through bold gestures and strong colour contrasts.

At the lower left, the rarely depicted but theologically rich scene of the Harrowing of Hell unfolds. Though not found in the canonical Gospels, this tradition—solidified in the early medieval period—describes Christ descending into Hell after his death to release the souls of the righteous. Christ is shown pulling Adam by the hand from the jaws of Hell, with Eve and other Old Testament figures clustered behind. The imagery emphasises Christ’s triumph over death and his authority even in the realm of the dead. .2

Next appears the Supper at Emmaus, the moment when the risen Christ reveals himself to two disciples as he breaks bread. The disciples reacting in astonishment as Christ’s identity becomes clear. It serves as a reminder of Christ’s continued presence after the Resurrection and the sacramental reality of the Eucharist. 3

The following panel depicts Mary Magdalene meeting Christ in the garden on the morning of the Resurrection. Carrying her jar of ointment, she first mistakes him for a gardener before recognising him. Christ is shown carrying a staff topped with a cross, reinforcing the narrative detail. His gesture of withdrawal underscores the words “Noli me tangere” (“Do not touch me”), indicating the transformed nature of his risen .4

The final panel at bottom right shows Saint Thomas placing his hand into the wound in Christ’s side. This scene affirms the physical reality of the Resurrection and Thomas’s transformation from doubt to belief. The dramatic interaction between Christ and Thomas, surrounded by watching apostles, is a favourite theme of 15th-century glazing for its theological clarity and emotional power.5

• 1.
  
  Callias-Bey, Martine Véronique Chaussé Françoise Gatouillat and Michel Hérold Les Vitraux De Haute-Normandie Corpus Vitrearum Corpus Vitrearum Paris CNRS 2001.

  p148.

• 2. Harrowing of Hell - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07143d.htm
• 3. Luke 24 - http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/book.php?book=Luke&chapte...
• 4. John 20:15 www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=John&chapter=20&verse=
• 5. John 20:27 www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=John&chapter=20&verse=