Sorbonne chapel facade detail with statue of Thomas Aquinas

What it is

This is a photograph of part of the facade of the Sorbonne chapel in Paris. On the left stands a statue of Thomas Aquinas, and on the right a statue of Peter Lombard. In the middle, two draped female figures support a clock, with a coat of arms of Cardinal Richelieu above it. Ornate columns frame the wall. The photograph was taken on 17 June 2012 and shows the stone carvings as they stand today.

Why it matters

Aquinas taught at the University of Paris, and his statue here places him beside Peter Lombard, another medieval theologian. The chapel's decoration also includes the coat of arms of Cardinal Richelieu, who was linked to the Sorbonne. Together these figures show how later institutions chose to remember medieval scholars. The photograph is a modern view, so it records how the facade looks now rather than when it was first carved.

Look closer

• Why do you think the builders placed these two theologians side by side?
• What clues on the facade suggest who paid for or is honoured by this decoration?
• What does a single photograph leave out about the building's history?