Above the altar inside Sacre-Coeur in Paris, France's largest mosaic of 575 square yards is installed.
Next to the figure of Jesus Christ revealing his sacred heart stands Joan d'Arc and then priests offering a model of this basilica. This is just a small section of the large mosaic.
I wonder if the mosaic artists were aware that at the time of the construction - 1875 to 1919 - painters living in Montmartre like Renoir, van Gogh, Picasso and Braque were busy finding new ways of expressing themselves like Impressionism, Expressionism and Cubism.
Wandering around the apse, there is the large bronze sculpture of St. Pierre and if one touches the right foot of this Saint and looks up, there is a grey bearded God looking at you.
This touching gesture is a highlight for many devout visitors. That the saintly right foot has become a 'paw' I see as an expression of the many believers and their comfort in the Holy Trinity.
http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/visit/article/panoramic-virtual-tour-of
