The northern foreportal column figures of Chartres cathedral

The diverse styles of the foreportal column figures at Chartres Cathedral have resulted in a number of hypotheses attempting to resolve the apparent stylistic contradictions. Since the validity of absolute chronologies derived from sketchy documentary evidence is questionable, an objective style analysis of the figures is undertaken to determine their relative place within the context of the development of «Gothic Sculpture» as a whole. This analysis indicates that the column figure styles do not correspond to the monumental sculptural tradition of the thirteenth century. Indeed only a post medieval execution of the figures can satisfactorily explain the otherwise controversial and inexplicable stylistic phenomena. The accompanying iconographic study of the socles of the western bay, in conjunction with other recently published research by R. Adams and J. van der Meulen indicates with reasonable certainty that an expanded sculptural program was planned and executed after 1316.