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Lot Essay
NOTRE-DAME-EN-CITÉ, THE CATHEDRAL AT ARRAS: A SACRED LOCATION WITH A TUMULTUOUS HISTORY
Arras, once one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the North of France – its vast dimensions measured 120 meters long and 39 meters wide – was built largely during the 12th and 13th centuries (H. Loriquet, Le trésor de Notre-Dame d'Arras, Arras, 1892). However, it was not only the size of the cathedral that was so impressive, but also significant were the twelve chapels – an unusually large number – dedicated to local saints such as Saint Vaast, Saint Nicolas, Saint Etienne, Saint Barbara or biblical episodes such as the Visitation of the Virgin. For seven hundred years, the cathedral represented the political might and material wealth of the church in this border region. And, while it was a triumph of architectural engineering and art, history has been especially vicious to the cathedral. The loss of the cathedral makes the survival of these two figures all the more poignant and remarkable. The rediscovery of the Arras figures are reminders of a rich and complex moment in the North – now vanished – yet these figures remain as evidence of its sophisticated and powerful past.
It appears that the location of the Notre-Dame-en-Cité cathedral has always been a place dedicated to worship as there are remains from both druidical gatherings from the time of the Gauls as well as a temple dedicated to Jupiter under the Romans. In the 4th century, with the spread of Catholicism, Arras became an episcopal center with Saint Diogenes named as the first priest and a church dedicated to the Virgin was constructed. However, in 390, the young cathedral was destroyed by fighting. Under King Clovis, Saint Vaast rebuilt the cathedral in, most likely as no records survive, the Greco-Roman style. In 881-882 yet another invasion destroyed the cathedral. It was rebuilt once more in 918, again without any surviving visual evidence. Finally, the cathedral was consecrated on January, 2nd 1030 by the Bishop Gérard 1st. Construction accelerated and its vault was elevated by 110. There were significant renovations to the cathedral in 1370 unfortunately, however, much of the ornament was stolen by the Germans in 1493. Following the defeat of Louis XI, Arras was removed from French territory and put under the authority of the Counts of Flanders. It is at this moment in the 16th century, specifically in 1517 according to the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Arras, that the construction of the Altar de la Manne can be dated. By 1640, with the victory of Louis XIII, Arras is again a French territory. The final renovations to the cathedral, in the classical style, were applied later in the later 18th century.
Having largely survived intact since the late 15th century, the real problems began with the French Revolution. Arras, despite being the revolutionary Maximilien de Robespierre’s native town, was not spared by the Revolution. In 1793, the cathedral became a military warehouse where munitions and other military equipment were stored. Further indignities followed, as the cathedral was sold by the municipality in 1799 and largely dismembered. The final insult to the cathedral and its sacred location was Napoleon’s demand in 1802 that the site be entirely cleared and leveled and that the adjacent Abbey of Saint Vaast would replace the Arras cathedral. Napoleon further decreed the site would become a ‘promenade publique’ which was finished in 1825. A church dedicated to Saint Nicolas now occupies the site.
THE ALTAR OF LA MANNE AT ARRAS
Researching the interiors and decoration of Arras is difficult as the interiors were vandalized and dispersed during the French revolution and, as discussed, the building no longer exists. This research is made even more difficult by the fact that the bishopric archives were destroyed in 1915, during the First World War. However, there is still an Inventaire du Mobilier de Notre Dame, made on the 16-18th of June/ 4th of August 1791 before the furniture and decorations were transferred to the Capuchin convent. This inventory mentions the present lot, the two alabaster figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior as ‘sept effigies en albâtre représentants l’Adoration des Mages’ in the altar of la Manne (H. Loriquet, Le trésor de Notre-Dame d'Arras, Arras, 1892, p.168-169).
Medieval Catholicism was an image-based religion. The visuals were essential as, among other purposes, they had an educational use, to teach the followers, often illiterate, the great principles of the religion. The altar of la Manne perfectly summarized one of the most central stories of Catholicism, that of the Adoration. The altar of la Manne, also called the ‘autel des reliques’ was situated at the axis of the choir – the central part of the church – directly behind the main altar of the cathedral. In a reconstruction of the cathedral, published by Didron, both the reliquary on the altar, as well as the entire altarpiece are visible (A. N. Didron, Annales Archéologiques, Paris, 1844-1881). It is composed of seven niches with the seven alabaster sculptures including the present lots of Saint Joseph and Melchior, as well as the figures of Gaspard, Balthazar, David and Isaiah which are all now in the Arras Musée des Beaux-Arts. In the early 20th century these four additional figures were first mentioned in a 1907 inventory done for the Arras Musée des Beaux-Arts and recorded under the following inventory numbers: Balthazar (n°907-30), Gaspard (n°907-31), David (n°907-32) and Isaiah (n°907-35). The seventh, and central figure, is most likely the Virgin. This very refined and very specific iconographic program for the altarpiece indicates it was certainly an important commission from a canon of the cathedral, probably Joseph Marle, who then offered it to his church.
Didron describes the altar: ‘The ‘autel des reliques’ of Arras is, at the same time, both an official altar and a stage. The relics were so numerous in this cathedral that a stage had to be raised above the altar to store the relics that would not fit. On Saint days, the chasse, containing the appropriate relics, would be lowered by a rope from the top of the stage… One could access the stage through the charming circular stairs that can be seen on the left side of the drawing’ (A. Terninck, Essai historique et monographique sur l'ancienne cathédrale d'Arras, avec planches, Paris, 1853, p. 46). Thus the discovery of the present lot, the two figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior, is of a major importance from a historical and an artistic point of view, as it allows us to reconstitute, almost entirely, the altar of la Manne.
SAINT JOSEPH AND MELCHIOR AND THE MYSTERY MAN
Kneeling at the feet of the figure of St. Joseph, under his protection is, almost certainly, the man who commissioned the figures and who donated them to the cathedral. As has already been suggested, the donor is probably Joseph Marle which is indicated by the coat-of-arms, consisting of three blackbirds, as well as the inscription in gold of ‘ IOSEPH/ VIR MARLE’, all on the base. The Marles, a noble family, were known to have held important political and ecclesiastical positions in Arras and the region. For example, in the 16th century, certain members of the family were appointed notaires and secrétaries to the King (S. Charton-Le Clech, Chancellerie et culture au XVIe siècle (Les notaires et secrétaires du roi de 1515 à 1547), Toulouse, 1993). While the identification of the donor must remain tentative as it was a large family, the figure is fascinating as it is clearly a specific portrait of a man, with a face that is less idealized than those of the saints. Saint Joseph is depicted with his walking stick, blooming with lilies, which symbolizes both rebirth and is a reference to the immaculate conception of the Virgin, the wife of Joseph (J. Hall, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art, London, 1974, p. 177).
The figure of Melchior, the eldest of the gift-bearing Magi, is represented with an open vase-shaped chalice, intended to hold the gift of gold, a symbol of Christ’s royalty. He wears, on his shoulders, the traditional Mithraic cape and at his feet is a Phrygian bonnet. Indeed, well before it became a symbol of the French Revolutionaries, this bonnet was a symbol of the Persian god Mithra and the cape and bonnet were worn by her priests, the magi (Ibid., p. 145). This Phrygian bonnet was also used in contemporary paintings and it shows up on the ground in both Botticelli’s and Durer’s paintings of the Adoration of the Magi of 1475 and 1504, respectively. Closer to home, the present lot also can be stylistically linked to the late works of the painter Jean Bellegambe (1470-1536).
The white color and translucence of alabaster made it a sought-after material for religious representations, as it was often used to symbolize purity and light. It had even more powerful religious connotations and reputed healing qualities as it was supposedly water from an alabaster vase that was broken to pour on Christ’s feet. While it is well-documented that the English Midlands and Northern Spain were centers of Medieval alabaster production, exporting their stone throughout Europe, it is less well-known that the Isère region was also important for supplying alabaster, particularly to eastern France (W. Kloppmann, Competing English, Spanish, and French alabaster trade in Europe over five centuries as evidenced by isotope fingerprinting, Salt Lake City, 2017). Before the end of the 15th century, alabaster had been almost exclusively used for gravestones but thereafter became more common – and was used to great effect -- for devotional panels and altars. Perhaps one disadvantage to alabaster is that, as a saline rock, it breaks easily and the stone is usually carved in relatively small pieces when compared to other, harder stones (C. Prigent, Les sculptures anglaises d’albâtre, Paris, 1998, p. 17).
Therefore, both the excellent condition and very large sizes of Saint Joseph and Melchior makes us appreciate their extraordinary survival all the more. Classified a ‘trésor national’ by the French authorities, the figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior present an extraordinary opportunity to collectors as well as a reminder of the iconic cathedral of Arras, a Gothic masterpiece, gone forever.
Arras, once one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the North of France – its vast dimensions measured 120 meters long and 39 meters wide – was built largely during the 12th and 13th centuries (H. Loriquet, Le trésor de Notre-Dame d'Arras, Arras, 1892). However, it was not only the size of the cathedral that was so impressive, but also significant were the twelve chapels – an unusually large number – dedicated to local saints such as Saint Vaast, Saint Nicolas, Saint Etienne, Saint Barbara or biblical episodes such as the Visitation of the Virgin. For seven hundred years, the cathedral represented the political might and material wealth of the church in this border region. And, while it was a triumph of architectural engineering and art, history has been especially vicious to the cathedral. The loss of the cathedral makes the survival of these two figures all the more poignant and remarkable. The rediscovery of the Arras figures are reminders of a rich and complex moment in the North – now vanished – yet these figures remain as evidence of its sophisticated and powerful past.
It appears that the location of the Notre-Dame-en-Cité cathedral has always been a place dedicated to worship as there are remains from both druidical gatherings from the time of the Gauls as well as a temple dedicated to Jupiter under the Romans. In the 4th century, with the spread of Catholicism, Arras became an episcopal center with Saint Diogenes named as the first priest and a church dedicated to the Virgin was constructed. However, in 390, the young cathedral was destroyed by fighting. Under King Clovis, Saint Vaast rebuilt the cathedral in, most likely as no records survive, the Greco-Roman style. In 881-882 yet another invasion destroyed the cathedral. It was rebuilt once more in 918, again without any surviving visual evidence. Finally, the cathedral was consecrated on January, 2nd 1030 by the Bishop Gérard 1st. Construction accelerated and its vault was elevated by 110. There were significant renovations to the cathedral in 1370 unfortunately, however, much of the ornament was stolen by the Germans in 1493. Following the defeat of Louis XI, Arras was removed from French territory and put under the authority of the Counts of Flanders. It is at this moment in the 16th century, specifically in 1517 according to the Musée des Beaux-Arts d’Arras, that the construction of the Altar de la Manne can be dated. By 1640, with the victory of Louis XIII, Arras is again a French territory. The final renovations to the cathedral, in the classical style, were applied later in the later 18th century.
Having largely survived intact since the late 15th century, the real problems began with the French Revolution. Arras, despite being the revolutionary Maximilien de Robespierre’s native town, was not spared by the Revolution. In 1793, the cathedral became a military warehouse where munitions and other military equipment were stored. Further indignities followed, as the cathedral was sold by the municipality in 1799 and largely dismembered. The final insult to the cathedral and its sacred location was Napoleon’s demand in 1802 that the site be entirely cleared and leveled and that the adjacent Abbey of Saint Vaast would replace the Arras cathedral. Napoleon further decreed the site would become a ‘promenade publique’ which was finished in 1825. A church dedicated to Saint Nicolas now occupies the site.
THE ALTAR OF LA MANNE AT ARRAS
Researching the interiors and decoration of Arras is difficult as the interiors were vandalized and dispersed during the French revolution and, as discussed, the building no longer exists. This research is made even more difficult by the fact that the bishopric archives were destroyed in 1915, during the First World War. However, there is still an Inventaire du Mobilier de Notre Dame, made on the 16-18th of June/ 4th of August 1791 before the furniture and decorations were transferred to the Capuchin convent. This inventory mentions the present lot, the two alabaster figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior as ‘sept effigies en albâtre représentants l’Adoration des Mages’ in the altar of la Manne (H. Loriquet, Le trésor de Notre-Dame d'Arras, Arras, 1892, p.168-169).
Medieval Catholicism was an image-based religion. The visuals were essential as, among other purposes, they had an educational use, to teach the followers, often illiterate, the great principles of the religion. The altar of la Manne perfectly summarized one of the most central stories of Catholicism, that of the Adoration. The altar of la Manne, also called the ‘autel des reliques’ was situated at the axis of the choir – the central part of the church – directly behind the main altar of the cathedral. In a reconstruction of the cathedral, published by Didron, both the reliquary on the altar, as well as the entire altarpiece are visible (A. N. Didron, Annales Archéologiques, Paris, 1844-1881). It is composed of seven niches with the seven alabaster sculptures including the present lots of Saint Joseph and Melchior, as well as the figures of Gaspard, Balthazar, David and Isaiah which are all now in the Arras Musée des Beaux-Arts. In the early 20th century these four additional figures were first mentioned in a 1907 inventory done for the Arras Musée des Beaux-Arts and recorded under the following inventory numbers: Balthazar (n°907-30), Gaspard (n°907-31), David (n°907-32) and Isaiah (n°907-35). The seventh, and central figure, is most likely the Virgin. This very refined and very specific iconographic program for the altarpiece indicates it was certainly an important commission from a canon of the cathedral, probably Joseph Marle, who then offered it to his church.
Didron describes the altar: ‘The ‘autel des reliques’ of Arras is, at the same time, both an official altar and a stage. The relics were so numerous in this cathedral that a stage had to be raised above the altar to store the relics that would not fit. On Saint days, the chasse, containing the appropriate relics, would be lowered by a rope from the top of the stage… One could access the stage through the charming circular stairs that can be seen on the left side of the drawing’ (A. Terninck, Essai historique et monographique sur l'ancienne cathédrale d'Arras, avec planches, Paris, 1853, p. 46). Thus the discovery of the present lot, the two figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior, is of a major importance from a historical and an artistic point of view, as it allows us to reconstitute, almost entirely, the altar of la Manne.
SAINT JOSEPH AND MELCHIOR AND THE MYSTERY MAN
Kneeling at the feet of the figure of St. Joseph, under his protection is, almost certainly, the man who commissioned the figures and who donated them to the cathedral. As has already been suggested, the donor is probably Joseph Marle which is indicated by the coat-of-arms, consisting of three blackbirds, as well as the inscription in gold of ‘ IOSEPH/ VIR MARLE’, all on the base. The Marles, a noble family, were known to have held important political and ecclesiastical positions in Arras and the region. For example, in the 16th century, certain members of the family were appointed notaires and secrétaries to the King (S. Charton-Le Clech, Chancellerie et culture au XVIe siècle (Les notaires et secrétaires du roi de 1515 à 1547), Toulouse, 1993). While the identification of the donor must remain tentative as it was a large family, the figure is fascinating as it is clearly a specific portrait of a man, with a face that is less idealized than those of the saints. Saint Joseph is depicted with his walking stick, blooming with lilies, which symbolizes both rebirth and is a reference to the immaculate conception of the Virgin, the wife of Joseph (J. Hall, Dictionary of Subjects and Symbols in Art, London, 1974, p. 177).
The figure of Melchior, the eldest of the gift-bearing Magi, is represented with an open vase-shaped chalice, intended to hold the gift of gold, a symbol of Christ’s royalty. He wears, on his shoulders, the traditional Mithraic cape and at his feet is a Phrygian bonnet. Indeed, well before it became a symbol of the French Revolutionaries, this bonnet was a symbol of the Persian god Mithra and the cape and bonnet were worn by her priests, the magi (Ibid., p. 145). This Phrygian bonnet was also used in contemporary paintings and it shows up on the ground in both Botticelli’s and Durer’s paintings of the Adoration of the Magi of 1475 and 1504, respectively. Closer to home, the present lot also can be stylistically linked to the late works of the painter Jean Bellegambe (1470-1536).
The white color and translucence of alabaster made it a sought-after material for religious representations, as it was often used to symbolize purity and light. It had even more powerful religious connotations and reputed healing qualities as it was supposedly water from an alabaster vase that was broken to pour on Christ’s feet. While it is well-documented that the English Midlands and Northern Spain were centers of Medieval alabaster production, exporting their stone throughout Europe, it is less well-known that the Isère region was also important for supplying alabaster, particularly to eastern France (W. Kloppmann, Competing English, Spanish, and French alabaster trade in Europe over five centuries as evidenced by isotope fingerprinting, Salt Lake City, 2017). Before the end of the 15th century, alabaster had been almost exclusively used for gravestones but thereafter became more common – and was used to great effect -- for devotional panels and altars. Perhaps one disadvantage to alabaster is that, as a saline rock, it breaks easily and the stone is usually carved in relatively small pieces when compared to other, harder stones (C. Prigent, Les sculptures anglaises d’albâtre, Paris, 1998, p. 17).
Therefore, both the excellent condition and very large sizes of Saint Joseph and Melchior makes us appreciate their extraordinary survival all the more. Classified a ‘trésor national’ by the French authorities, the figures of Saint Joseph and Melchior present an extraordinary opportunity to collectors as well as a reminder of the iconic cathedral of Arras, a Gothic masterpiece, gone forever.