IMAGES DU PATRIMOINE

SAINT-NICOLAS DE TAVANT Indre-et-Loire Textes Christian Davy Martine Lainé Illustrations Mariusz Hermanowicz Traduction Barbara Carmé

 

General presentation

The parish church of Tavant, which was classified as a historic monument in 1908, is remarkable on more than one account. The church was originally built on a Latin-cross plan with a tripartite nave-an extremely rare layout in Touraine and for the Romanesque period- and contains a remarkable set of wall paintings displayed in the choir and the crypt. The crypt paintings are renowned for the striking aspect of their organisation and the numerous questions relative to their signification. Yet regularly quoted and described since the first time they were mentioned in 1862, the identification of the scenes, the affirmation of the iconographic program and the questions concerning the dating of the edifice and the paintings have interested researchers and scholars for about a century.

 

History Architecture Sculpture Paintings of the choir Paintings of the crypt Conclusion

 

 

History

Two religious centres coexisted in Tavant in the Middle-Ages : a priory dedicated to Notre-Dame, depending upon the abbey of Marmoutier, which was set up on the bank of the river Vienne and the parish church dedicated to Saint Nicholas. The foundation act of the priory dated back to 987, it was then confirmed by a charter signed by Bouchard II, lord of L’Ile-Bouchard in 1020. Around 1070, the priory was burnt down. In 1090, the presence of a prior was confirmed, which leads one to think that the reconstruction works were, if not completed, at least partly done.

Because of the strong similarities observed between the priory church and the parish church of Saint-Nicolas, the latter was often dated from the end of the eleventh century, assuming that the reconstruction Notre-Dame was slightly prior to the edification of Saint-Nicolas. The dedication of the church must also be related to the development of the cult of Saint Nicholas in Europe by the end of the eleventh century, after the transfer of the Saint’s relics to Bari (Italy). The first text mentioning the parish church of Saint-Nicolas dated from 1223: probably more than a century after its construction.

On the old cadastral plan made in 1832, the parish church with its adjoining graveyard in the north-west is set back from the village which progressively developed westwards. The vestiges of the priory church, mentioned as Sainte-Anne on the plan, are 300 metres away northwards.

Architecture

General view from the north-west.

Saint-Nicolas Church is made of freestone of medium bond on a Latin-cross plan. The nave which consists of five bays was initially composed of aisles. The whole nave was entirely vaulted. The aisles were levelled down at an undetermined period and for unknown reasons. After their destruction, the large arcades were walled up and the pillars reinforced with buttresses. The very little extending transept formerly communicated with the aisles. The modillion cornice is topped by several rows of coated rubble stones, testifying the rising of the nave.

The western façade

The western portal and the opening which is on top of it are framed by solid buttresses. On each side of the portal, the foundations of the semi-circular openings in the aisles are still visible. Originally, each aisle was covered with a sloping roof.

The south-east raising

Each transept-arm is lit by only one semi-circular bay made in the gabled wall. The squat church tower is encircled by a modillion cornice partly conserved. A very low octagonal basis is topped by a billet string-course. Originally the semi-circular arches might have delimited the belfry. In the absence of vegetation, the toothing stones of the apsidiole of the southern transept-arm and the openings of the choir are visible. At the chevet and transept, the roof is directly supported by the cornice, unlike in the nave.

The chevet

Buttress-columns support the chevet where semi-circular openings with double curves were made. In the north-east, the church tower staircase, with irregular sides, is inserted between the chevet wall and the apsidiole of the northern transept-arm, (on the right of the image).

The nave

The bays, vaulted in a semi-circular barrel, are delimitated by two slightly low lying transverse ribs supported by engaged columns with a square base. The transept crossing is covered with a dome on squinches. The arches of the crossing come down on cruciform pillars with engaged columns. The nave vault, initially built in stone and clay mortar was rebuilt in brick and plaster mortar in 1896.

Sculpture

The western portal

The symmetrical composition of this portal without a tympanum, bordered by two blind arches, adopts a style largely common from Aquitaine to Berry, several examples of it are known in Touraine, notably in the church Saint-Pierre in Parçay-sur-Vienne a few kilometres away.

The portal sculpture

A detail of the arching, dressed in three projection curves: the first, moulded with a torus and groove, is topped by a twisted cordon. The second deploys a row of small fir cones horizontally disposed and a string course carved with cupules. The third curve, decorated with fir cones put on palm leafs, is underlined at the base by a diamond-pointed cordon. An identical cordon adorns the archivolt. The carved designs are quite similar to those of the west portal of the Church Saint-Gilles in L’Ile-Bouchard.

The portal capitals

In the western portal, flat-leaf capitals are next to that of the north blind arch, of a very different treatment. The interlaced bud and fir cone stems deploy on the whole bell-capital without particularly marking the angles or determining the axis of symmetry. The pattern reminds one of those in the choir at Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire (Loiret), a major edifice whose influence largely inspired Romanesque sculptors. Remains of polychrome coating are present under the arch between the abacuses.

The square transept - The capital of the temptation

The square transept - The capital of the sirens

The capitals of the transept crossing make up a homogeneous set but do not present an affirmed regional originality. The only historiated capital of the church represents the temptation of Adam and Eve. The snake, which is coiled up around the tree of the Knowledge, offers the forbidden fruit to Eve who already holds it in her hand. The hypertrophied treatment of the forearm and the hand of the figures stresses the sin leading to the fall. The pattern of the single or doubled-tailed siren is frequently represented in the twelfth century, as much in portals as inside churches.

 

The paintings of the choir

Only the choir vault conserves its painted decoration, which used to cover the whole edifice. It reveals the original polychromatism and the effect it could produce. At first sight, the iconographic program seems traditional. The image of Christ in the end of times covers the major part of cul-de-four in the apse. He is accompanied with the symbols of the four Evangelists, and more exceptionally, with cherubs and worshipping angels. This evocation of the Majestas Domini is introduced by the presentation of the Incarnation of Christ on earth. A detailed cycle, from the Annunciation to the Presentation in the Temple, enables one to follow the first stages of Christ’s childhood.

Despite the strong breaking of the transverse ribs which is between the right bay in the choir and the apse, stressed by the whiteness of the bare stonework, the painter linked these two figured sections with the ornamental decoration. The axial string course on the one hand plays a structuring part facilitating the observation of the images oriented differently in the space, on the other hand, it maintains a true link between the terrestrial scenes evoking a past era and the representation of the second coming of Christ in the end of Times.

The angels

The angels’ movements reveal an idea more exceptional than the usual message delivered by the image of Christ in majesty. Despite the deterioration of the painting; it is possible to follow a progression: the angel on the left holds in his hand a sort of cup, his right hand is open and his palm is held forward. The next one holds a similar cup in his right hand and presents with his left hand, raised high, an object -which is today obliterated- he allegedly took from the recipient. Finally the angel closest to Christ appears to reproduce the gesture done by the priest for the Elevation of the Host during the celebration of the Eucharist. Linking this affirmation to the reality of the transubstantiation, which was the main subject of the theological debate at that time, is an attractive assumption.

The south side

The south side of the right bay presents the first scenes of a cycle dedicated to Christ’s childhood. Beyond the simple recognition of a story, with the scenes of the Annunciation, Visitation and Nativity (at the upper register) and the Massacre of the Innocents (at the lower register), further observations enable one to comprehend the allegorical interpretation: the Incarnation of Christ.

The axial string course

In the Romanesque period, the presence of ornamental decoration was never unintentional. Thus the axial string course of the right bay occupies an important place in the organisation of the decoration and their orientation. The undulations evoke the sky and the cloud, dominating the scenes taking place outside, while above the Nativity, which is situated within a close space, they disappear to be replaced with a representation of architecture. The median square pattern is punctuated with human-face discs evoking the stars whose regular orientation indicates the right orientation towards Christ.

The Visitation and Nativity

In the chronological order, the scene following the Annunciation is the Visitation. The iconographic program is common. The two future mothers embrace each other. The fact that Elisabeth comes and embraces Mary which is motionless, whereas she is older, underlines the celestial hierarchy in which the Virgin occupies a privileged place. The scene of the Nativity beyond the historical meaning delivers a strong allegorical message. In a composition where details are excluded, each element has a special signification. Thus, the newborn Christ is wrapped up and lies in a crib in the form of an altar, in order to remind the Christians that He came on earth to be sacrificed for their salvation.

The Annunciation to the Shepherds

Wall painting is a fragile art because of the technique used and the -often very poor - state of preservation in which it is found. It often remains in fragments. Knowing the conventional program of Romanesque painting enables one to sometimes identify the missing scenes. At Tavant, the presence of a program built around Christ’s childhood facilitates the recognition of several fragments. On the extreme left of the upper register on the north-side of the vault, a shepherd blowing a horn is the last witness of the Annunciation to the Shepherds.

The paintings of the crypt

The plan of the crypt

The crypt has three naves determined by two rows of large cylindrical built up pillars, leading to a hemicycle apse. The vaults are supported by cylindrical pillars and laterally by semi-columns that are not contemporaneous of the foundation walls of the choir but later to it. Actually the crypt was not built before the choir but after, this observation is confirmed by the existence of a passage blocked up today, situated at the level of the fourth bay on the north side, made after the completion of the crypt. A part of the vault was indeed destroyed when this opening was created. The subsequent collapse of a semi vault section uncovered the base of a column which is none other than the north column of the choir. The base of the column shaft is recovered with a thin bluish-grey coating. This coating is conserved by fragments in several other places.

The north access

The northern passage which was blocked up was not dated yet, it might be related to the near presbytery since it gave access to the crypt without passing through the nave.

Haloed figures holding branches

On the east, after going past the representations – which are today very incomplete - of two birds, Christians notice the images of two haloed women holding two identical stems. The stems were symmetric and had the same number of volutes, as indicates a fragment sill visible on the right in the image on the right. These two women face each other and surprisingly look like the other, they are sitting on a thrown with their feet on a scabellum, which is a sort of honorary platform. Only their hand gestures are different. In the north, the woman has a closed position drawing her hands in front of her.

Haloed figures holding branches

In the south the woman opposite adopts an open position, hands spread. Despite the hypothesises put forward by scholars, these two women were not identified. The positive connotation of these figures is stressed by three conventional signs: a sitting position, the feet do not touch the ground, a frontal representation, while the figures connoted negatively are systematically represented in profile or in three-quarter, finally the halo confers them certain holiness.

Man dancing

At Tavant the style of the crypt paintings was often characterised by the power of the line, the speed and liberty of execution. However, it seems difficult today to properly examine these features because of the violent white repainted parts isolating these figures from their context. The figure of the “man dancing”, represented in the second bay in the north side, was deteriorated. What did he hold in his raised right hand vigorously closed? What did he point out with his forefinger ?

Man overcoming a lion

The man overcoming an animal risen on its hind legs is identified for some as to be David killing a lion or Samson for others. This scene is the first of a series of three evoking directly the struggle between good and evil.

David

This figure is the only one to be unanimously recognised: it represents King David playing the harp.

King Saul ?

The identification of King Saul as the figure facing David was disputed. Yet there are several arguments in favour of this assumption. The iconographic theme of David playing for Saul is common. The sitting position and the feet on a scabellum indicate that he is a powerful man. On the other hand, he does not wear the royal crown: is it enough to question his identity? This could have been confirmed or invalidated if the objects held in his hands had not disappeared.

Torch-bearing angles

On the springing of the vaults at the level of the second columns, the image of two torch-bearing angels can be observed. However, the candlesticks they hold in front of them are deprived of lit candles. Therefore their mission is not to carry the divine light. Their role remain enigmatic. Although they are encircled with a halo, they turn their back to the east, which is the direction from where Christ will return in the end of times; this signification is difficult to explain.

"Atlantes"

If the angels appear mysterious, the figures painted in the south part of the third bay and usually called “atlantes” by the authors, are obviously the best example of the enigma raised by the paintings at Tavant. There is no element helping for their comprehension. They carry a rectangular object long enough for some specialists talking about a measuring line, others a beam. Actually, this object was not convincingly identified. Is it only one object or two similar objects placed side by side? In other words, is each figure with his own burden the reproduction of the other or do they carry only one load and which one ?

Two seasons

On the third bay, on the north side, two images which were painted independently, participate to the general meaning. It was proved that these two male figures, holding objects, belong to some of the representations of the Time, the degradation of the painting and the diverse restoration works make the observation difficult. H. Toubert suggested seeing the winter and the spring. One figure is a hunter who carries birds with the end of his pole, that some repainted parts does not enable one to identify anymore, the other image of three vegetal shoots, as there are so many, illustrates April in medieval calendars. .

Virtue fighting a vice

On the other hand, the soldier, painted in the eastern side of the vault, piercing an ugly character collapsing, his spear then broken, was long ago identified. It is an evocation of the struggle of the vices and virtues whose literary origin is the Psychomachia written by Prudentius around 400 A.D. The Virtue, which is not (or not anymore) named, must be related to David killing a lion in the previous bay and to another Virtue finishing off a Vice floored, painted two bays further.

Adam and Eve working

Placed at the entry of the fourth bay, the images of Adam and Eve working and of the Sagittarius can be considered as an epilogue. After committing the sin, the first couple has to work and eat. Traditional activities are accurately represented. Eve is dressed in the fashion of the time. She wears a long figure-hugging tunic with flared sleeves and a belt, simply fastened at the front, ending in long untied threads. Adam wears a bliaud and digs the ground. Beyond this concrete almost anecdotal aspect, the essential message of this image is man has become mortal.

Sagittarius

The Sagittarius, whose astrological signification linked to the zodiac is perhaps secondary, rather presents the negative connotation inherent to its monstrous nature, half-man half-horse, with a snake-tail. The inscription “SAGITARIVS” can be read distinctively despite the deterioration of the painting.

Holy woman (hope)

Two women face the epilogue of the first iconographic sequence that occupies the space of the first three bays of the crypt. The background of the representations have almost entirely disappeared and repainted parts were vividly done with brush, going over three times the tunic of the woman situated on the left. The white colour perhaps masks traces of the original decorations, like the very deteriorated inscription “IRA” painted above the woman’s left arm who is regularly called lust. The head bent forward and the legs half-bent, the two women adopt, symmetrically from the axis of the crypt, a same “S” position. The artist formally put them together, so as to underline what opposes them. A positive connotation, the haloed woman evokes the hope before death despite the sadness that it conveys.

Woman of despair (anger and lust)

On the other hand, the woman opposite presents simultaneously two vices. She looks like tousled and neglected. Her clothe is not correctly held and reveals a bare breast attacked by two snakes. This iconographic detail has been known since antiquity and became in the Middle-Ages the symbol of lust. Moreover, all the authors noticed the women piercing her breast with a spear, but until now, this gesture was not related to the inscription “IRA”. This suicide is linked to anger, considered as an expression of despair.

The Descent into Limbos

The painter structured and orientated the historiated decoration linking a vanished divine figure, probably a mystic Lamb, which is inscribed in a crown made of concentric circles, to that of Christ in majesty, introduced by a twelve-ray circle, an extremely symbolical number. The double folded ribbon evokes the time from the sacrifice of the lamb to the second coming of Christ in the end of times. Between these two images, the two most eminent moments of the redemption of mankind are represented : Christ’s death illustrated by a Deposition from the Cross and the victory of Christ over the death during his Descent into limbos.

The deposition from the Cross

Despites some possible reusing and degradations, these two images testify the skills of the painter to convey the intensity of the dramatic scenes, a quality that comes to complete the great know-how he already showed in the figured representations. Some elements of these scenes are exceptional. The detail of Mary, who is sitting under a limb of the cross and holds the head of her dead Son on her knees, became later a full theme: that of the Virgin of Pity or Pieta.

The Crucifixion of Saint Peter

The crucifixion of Saint Peter, seen in its entirety and from a low angle shot, faces the crucifixion of Saint Andrew in the south. Because of the deterioration of the painting, this scene was difficult to interpret. Indeed, if there is no doubt about the identity of Peter, thanks to the position of the cross placed upside down, the figure with raised arms remained unidentified and it was greatly to the merit of Abbot Zverina that he identified him as an executioner. Thanks to a low angle light, the shape of the hammer he held in his right hand appears. This executioner was not the only one to bustle about the tortured, a small figure, hardly visible, busies himself on the right arm of Saint Peter, while nothing remains of the third figure, at the level of the left arm.

Christ en Majesty

Like in the upper choir, the organisation of the decoration leads to the representation of the second coming of Christ in the end of times. The image painted in the crypt is conventional. Christ is sitting and raises his right arm to bless the Christians, while he holds with his left hand the Book vertically placed on his knee. The bad preservation of the painting deprives one of some details. The pupils of his eyes, which were painted dry, have disappeared, giving him a blind look. The inscriptions written on the book have vanished too. Finally, the destruction of the lower part is partly offset by the restitution of the mandorla. This intervention enables one to give back certain balance to the representation and to have a “better” observation, without seeing any possible ambiguity between the original painting and its restitution.

The offering of Abel

The two scenes which flank the Christ in Majesty are particularly deteriorated and it was difficult to identify them in that state. In the north, Abel offers a lamb to God, God is represented in the form of a divine hand. In fact, this scene occupied the totality of the space and was wider. While designating Abel, the divine hand divided the scene in the middle : Cain offering his sheaf of wheat is represented in the other part, opposite to Abel. Today, he is hardly visible. The presence of Cain replaces this image into a more common iconographic program.

The murder of Cain by Abel

The scene painted in the south has not been identified until now. A better angle and a thorough observation enable one to recognise today the murder of Abel by Cain (in the right above). Abel is kneeled down and raises his clasped hands towards heaven as a sign of prayer. Only the drawing of his face and a few traces of colour remain, like the yellow colour of his hair. Cain, standing behind his brother, dominates him by his height. His body is arched and bent by the momentum he takes to strike the lethal blow; he raises his weapon above and beneath his head. His silhouette and his yellow clothe embellished with red stripes are visible. On the other hand, only the drawing of his hands and the brown colour on a part of the weapon –which is possibly a stick- remains.

"Pilgrim"

The last image of the crypt decoration raises two new enigmas. Why did the designer of the program want the artist to isolate that much this figure by painting it in an area where there is no representation : on the western wall in the south aisle ? What is the meaning of this figure ? The breadbin carried beside the figure is a clue. It could evoke a pilgrimage. But could it be a simple pilgrim, a representation of the pilgrimage of the soul or even a figuration of Saint James ? None of these assumptions are satisfying. The other objects held by this figure are even less revealing. Is it a palm he holds in his right hand? If so, is it the palm of the martyrdom of that of the Elect? Finally, what does he hold in his right hand? The length, the thickness and the design of the object are not those of a simple pilgrim’s staff. Could it be the trunk of a tree or more precisely a palm tree, which refers then to the image of Saint Christopher, the patron of saint travellers?

Conclusion

The question of the iconographic program, which has been discussed many times, is not yet fully clarified. However, a particular organisation, with a sort of iconographic centre appears from the fourth bay. Before the latter, the images are in a random order, the holy women face each other, like David and allegedly Saul, the man overcoming a lion is turned northwards, the dancer southwards and the torch-bearing angels move westward. Likewise, the images seem to be deprived of symbolical homogeneity, some seem to be rather positive : angels, virtues, David playing the harp, but they are turned westward, a side rather full of a negative connotation as opposed to the east from where the light comes and Christ will return in the end of times, according to the vision of Ezekiel and the Gospel of saint Matthew. Others are of a very negative nature. In the absence of additional information, it is difficult to understand how this hesitation or seemingly absence of partiality was desired by the artist. On the other hand, the will to end this first painted part with the Temptation and the Sin of Adam and Eve is obvious. In short, followers can see in the first section an iconography that is unclear but which ends with a demonstration: the death of Mankind followed secondly with the redemption due mainly to the sacrifice made by Christ. The dating of the paintings in the crypt, which has also been commented on frequently by different authors, appears to be set around the middle of the twelfth century or shortly after.