Medieval France. An Encyclopedia

(Darren Dugan) #1

chapter house. Most remarkable is the Lanterne des morts, a two-storied cylindrical tower
capped by an elaborate tiered cone, at the head of the terraced Jardin des enfeus (ancient
cemetery of the monks). According to legend, it commemorates the miracles worked by
St. Bernard during his visit to Sarlat in 1147.
Jean M.French
Deshoulières, M. “Sarlat.” Congrès archéologique (Périgueux) 90 (1927):271–95.
Secret, Jean. “La chapelle Saint-Benoît de Sarlat,” and “La lanterne des morts de Sarlat.” Congrès
archéologique (Périgord Noir) 137 (1979):9–17.


SAULIEU


. The church of Saulieu (Côte-d’Or), dedicated to St. Androche, who was martyred in
A.D. 177 by order of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, is best known for its Romanesque
capitals, both historiated and ornamental. However, in spite of the loss of the east end by
fire set by the English in 1359 and its subsequent rebuilding in 1704, probably over the
remains of Carolingian structures, and the destruction of the façade portal during the
French Revolution, the church is a fine example of Cluniac architecture based on the
elevation and vaulting of Cluny III—pointed nave arcade, arcaded triforium, clerestory,
pointed barrel vaults strengthened by transverse arches, and groin-vaulted aisles. In
Saulieu, the nave piers and arcade of the triforium are not animated by fluted pilasters
(influence of Roman architecture), like Cluny III, Paray-le-Monial, and Autun. Rather,
the Saulieu master builder employed the pier system of Vézelay with a rounded outer
respond over a rectangular one. The design of Vézelay thus seems to have influenced that
of Saulieu.
The nave capitals of Saulieu, which include the Flight into Egypt, the Hanging of
Judas, the Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene, and other figured capitals as well as
numerous ornamental ones, based on Romanesque variants of the Roman Corinthian
capital, are of high quality and relate most closely in iconography, design, and treatment
of drapery to the sculpture of Autun. Some of the ornamental capitals appear to be by the
same sculptor involved in decorating the outer narthex of Autun. This stylistic
relationship to Autun seems to negate the significance of the 1119 dedication, which did
not specify what was being dedicated. The sculpture, like the nave, appears to date from
the 1130s.
Whitney S.Stoddard
[See also: AUTUN]
Baudry, Jean, et al. Bourgogne roman, La Pierre-qui-vire: Zodiaque, 1962, pp. 120–50.
Oursel, Charles. L’art roman de Bourgogne: études d’histoire et d’archéologie. Dijon: Venot,
1928.
Porter, A.Kingsley. Romanesque Sculpture of Pilgrimage Roads. 2 vols. Boston: Marshall Jones,
1923, Vol.1, pp. 87–88, 113–14; Vol. 2, figs. 55–61.
Sapin, Christian. La Bourgogne préromane. Paris: Picard, 1986, pp. 121–22.


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