Chartres - the carvings of the portal
Labours of the months series
This door dates from about 1145 to 1150 - the west facade belongs to the earlier, Romanesque cathedral that burned down in 1194 and was replaced (apart from the facade and crypt) with a new, splendid Gothic church.
On the left hand side we see vine pruning and harvesting grain; above the months are the signs of the zodiac - Cancer for June, which is right for the grain harvest shown below.
Then above this, what looks like May taking his horse out.
The style is robust and the figures are deeply undercut.
On the other side of the tympanum we can see the winter months - a man chopping firewood, and the typical February man wrapped up in a cloak and hood, and trying to warm himself in front of a fireplace.
Here is the vine trimming that takes place in March. On the right, top, is Sagittarius the archer, very clearly shown. And there seems to be a feast underneath, with two men at the table - that would be right for December.
Here we see Leo and Taurus - April and May. As on the stained glass window inside the cathedral, the labours of the months are set against the Zodiac signs so we see the year as it plays out on earth, and in the skies.