masterpiece of medieval art in Bourbonnais
Imposing in size, moving through his art, the Bible Souvigny, resists oblivion. Even today, his four hundred and thirty two sheets pounds are the pride of the Allier. Both famous and little-known Bible Souvigny remains one of the great masterpieces of medieval Bourbonnais.
Souvigny The Bible is the leader of a series of illuminated manuscripts Centre of France made at the end of the twelfth century. Materially, it is a manuscript on parchment. It contains 200 bifolios of 56 by 78 cm folded in half, or 200 sheep skins! It weighs 32 kgs. Two copyists transcribed the texts. Anyone could copy from 170 to 200 lines per day. The writing of the 400 pages represent at least a year and a half of work. Five large paintings, more than a hundred original storied and thousands of initials govern the biblical text.
HISTORY
In 1173, the priory of Cluniac Souvigny, place consecrated by the remains of St. Mayeul and Saint-Odilon Mercoeur, is on the brink of ruin. Mismanagement, unjust and unfair taxes, annuities and outstanding loans have squandered its funds. Under Abbot of Aimee (1183 - 1206), the situation has become healthier and a return to prosperity has enabled the purchase of land, a mill and build a chapter house.
At this point, it seems, that the sexton had to Bernard altarpiece and a frontal for the altar of St. Mayeul and a dozen manuscripts, a missal and epistolary, each decorated with a silver cover, two missals, an Office of the Virgin Mary connected with psaultier, half of the "Moralia in Job" St. Gregory the Great, a copy of the Sentences of Peter Lombard, a new compendium of the lives of St. Martin, St. and St. Mayeul Menelaus and finally, "a book containing valuable old and new testament." (Preciosissinam historiam continentem Testamentum novum and patents). The historia has done to Bernard is very probably the Bible Souvigny, a large Bible in one volume, sometimes called "pandects" in the early Middle age, from the Greek "which includes everything." The monumental size of pandects gives the volume a presence, a venerable and solemn character.
In 1415, the manuscript appears to have been transported to Switzerland to be accessed at the Council of Constance where they attended the trial of John Hus. This is certainly the seriousness of the occasion which justified such an action. According to an inventory and until 1832 when the manuscript was re-connected, an inscription reads: "Biblia magna patribus concilii constanciensis consultation anno Domini 1415".
This entry was noticed in 1708 by Dom Martin . He published an account of his visit to the priory in 1717 in the travel literature of two Benedictine nuns of the Congregation of St. Maur.
Here is an excerpt from his description of the monastery :
"The church is very beautiful and very large and was rebuilt on the foundations of the Saint-Mayeul by Prior Geoffrey Cholet, who had previously been religious Mont Saint-Michel. This Monastery owes him the splendor with which it remains today, he owes him in particular most of the manuscripts which are very beautiful and in great numbers in the library, most of the fathers of the church, some of Alcuin. It is estimated across a large bible and Basle which was offered over two thousand books. "
Despite the confusion over the council, This story shows respect and even lust aroused further pandects the eighteenth century. Curiously, this same paragraph that gives rise to assumptions of increasingly fanciful to explain the origins of the Bible Souvigny.
suggested that this would be the prior Geoffroy Cholet that would have given the Bible monastery in the fifteenth century. Others believe the Bible is even a native of Mont Saint-Michel. For years, myths and accurate observations accumulate, mix, without decisive solution. In addition, bids are renewed. In 1832, upon recommendation of Mayor Mills, the Royal Library accepts exchange through the Bible three thousand francs in printed books. The council considers the proposal satisfactory.
Presented to the public several times, it was not until 1954, when the major exhibition of illuminated manuscripts that the Bible finds its true original context alongside those of Lyon and Saint-Sulpice of Bourges. However, eight hundred years after his birth, the Bible Souvigny retained its mystery and presence.
HIS TEXT
For its text, the Bible Souvigny depends closely on that of Clermont. The two manuscripts have common characteristics, including the order of the biblical books and the choice of prefaces. Clermont Bible is earlier than fifteen years and it seems that the Bible Souvigny was copied from Clermont, albeit with a few enhancements texts. Two copyists transcribed the Bible because there are Souvigny change in sheet write 118V.
But the Bible is not the original Clermont Auvergne. Its aspects and in its details, it is purely a product of craft Senonais. Reflected in its parchment white, his writings rounded, its filigree decoration in red and blue alternately illuminated decor executed in what is called "Channel style".
This style was very fashionable to decorate the new texts "university "Peter Lombard Peter the eater or Gratian, and the biblical books issued from Paris, Sens, and still other centers during the second half of the twelfth century.
At Sens, the presence of several great personalities has stimulated a large book production between 1160 and 1200 and indeed the Bible is the greatest Clermont masterpiece from archbishop of that city. It is therefore not surprising to find in the Bible in Clermont the same types of foliage, lions, faces and ornaments that embellish the manuscripts from Sense.
Who had the idea order a bible for the Sens cathedral of Clermont? Without doubt the blessed Pons, bishop of Clermont between 1170 and 1189. Auvergne original, this pious Cistercian abbot of Grandselve was then Clairvaux before being elected bishop of Clermont. Defender of Pope Alexander, with whom he had made several diplomatic missions during the schism, it was also appreciated by the adversary, the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Friend of Thomas Becket, Pons was added in the sacramental prayers for the Mass of St. Thomas shortly after the canonization of it in 1173.
Why Pons he decided to return to Sens to make the Bible? His old friends? His knowledge of artisans? An aesthetic preference? If we judge by the quality of two paintings that adorn the sacramental originally Clermont was not devoid of experienced local crafts. Finally, whence the textual model: Sens or Auvergne?
leave these questions unanswered, however, think with some certainty that the Bible in Clermont was the model for the textual Souvigny but to a much lesser extent that she has inspired illuminations.
Strong analogies exist between the two Bibles whose initials storied books of Tobit, Judith and the Apocalypse but most of the initials in the remaining volume of Clermont are Simply decorated in the "Channel style". Clearly, the artists of the Bible Souvigny reject this style in favor of a grammar and ornamental plant more flexible. They also reject the watermarked vocabulary of Clermont, more rigid and repetitive in its design and its alternating red and blue that the party adopted a laugh on every sheet in Souvigny.
What they admire and emulate However, it is the golden foliage and punched, the mixture of initial fields teeming bottom cut or torn and watermarked letters to stake the chapters and verses on each sheet.
ITS ILLUMINATION
style of figural Bible Souvigny, marked by a byzantine accentuated, not the expression of a specific center. This is a regional style that is found in many large Bibles, manufactured for bishops and abbeys belonging to various orders, scattered over a large area. The limits of this range of Le Puy in Bourges, Souvigny (near Moulins) to Cluny, excluding the southern provinces hostile to Pope Alexander III.
A direct knowledge of Greek models is especially felt Souvigny in the Bible, the undisputed leader of the group. Are often called to witness the great prophets inspired, narrative paintings divided into records, such as exists in the octateuques Greek, the many details of costume, poses, gestures, architecture, shadows laying around the eyes, the lights dancing the tissue surface.
The implementation of this current byzantinisant in this region was observed from 1170, as evidenced by the paintings of the Sacraments of Pons, this knowledge could be transmitted directly from Constantinople or the Sicily. Indeed, Pope Alexander was supported by the Byzantine emperor and the king Anglo-Norman.
Octateuques the Greek or the books of the prophets were often cited as sources for the Graphic Bible Souvigny, when the gaze is fixed on the artistic technique, the hot key, vigorous, undulating route, come to mind the broad brush, the sweeping gesture and the party illusionist mural monumental.
A detail recalls the scale designs. According to common practice in the late twelfth century, the first words of the book are painted in capital letters that stand out against colored headbands.
What is unusual and remarkable Souvigny in the Bible is the recovery of each letter in a cons-colored, white or red, with a finer brush. The visual effect, best captured at a distance, is an inscription inscription.
However, many aspects of the ornamentation of the Bible belong strictly to the field of illumination. Here, the observer enters the world ignored the original ornate field or watermarked.
In the round part of the initial part of some, the artist worked an opening edge undulating, sinuous. The inside of the opening may be shaded emptied or even to place the gold background. This small ornamental invention, especially the undulating edge which relieves the tension of the geometric framework, is characteristic of the manuscripts can be grouped around the Bible Souvigny.
kinship with the manuscripts of the Centre is highlighted by these initial fields and formed a letter from the trunk of a tree trimmed with analogies observed in Souvigny and Lyon.
History of Illumination in Bourbonnais is marked by two moments: the end of the twelfth century with the Bible Souvigny and fifteenth century manuscripts produced for the dukes of Bourbon. On each occasion, we spoke to professionals in neighboring regions: the CL, Berry, Auvergne. Surrounded by flourishing cities of Lyon, Bourges, Clermont-Ferrand, attracting the best talent, Bourbonnais has always had a knack for sniffing the quality and encourage teachers to excel.
D According to a text by Patricia Stirnemman
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