Historical documents suggest that he was neither poor nor plebeian. In his far-flung
wanderings across France, in Italy, to Hungary, and on crusade, he was in contact with
fellow troubadours, like Raimbaut d’Aurenga, and trouvères, like Gace Brulé.
His poetic legacy is considerable. Some fifty-four cansos survive, including a
rotrouenge (probably the only French text composed by a troubadour), in addition to nine
poetic debates, two crusade songs, the famous planh on Richard the Lionhearted, and
perhaps one alba. These reveal a discreet poet of trobar leu in the Ventadorn style, but
with occasional ric and clus refinements perhaps traceable to his contacts with Raimbaut
d’Orange.
Roy S.Rosenstein
[See also: TROUBADOUR POETRY]
Gaucelm Faidit. Les poèmes de Gaucelm Faidit, troubadour du XIIe siècle: édition critique, ed.
Jean Mouzat. Paris: Nizet, 1965.
Paden, William D. “Dramatic Formalism in the Alba Attributed to Gaucelm Faidit.”
Neuphilologische Mitteilungen 83 (1982):68–77.
GAUCHER DE REIMS
(fl. 13th c.). “Gaucher de Reims was master of this church for seven years and worked on
the arches.” This slim information, taken from the destroyed labyrinth of Reims
cathedral, is all that is known about this mason. A 1256 document that mentions a certain
“Walterius, master of the fabric of the church of Reims” recently has been interpreted as
a reference to Gaucher, but this must remain hypothetical. Gaucher has been seen,
notably by Henri Deneux, as the designer of the Gothic cathedral of Reims, but he is most
frequently credited with the portals of the west façade, which were erected ca. 1252–65.
Thus, despite the tantalizing hints offered by texts and the clear archaeological evidence
that the cathedral of Reims was the work of several master masons, the contribution of
Gaucher de Reims to this monumental project remains enigmatic.
Michael T.Davis
[See also: JEAN D’ORBAIS; JEAN LE LOUP; REIMS]
Branner, Robert. “The Labyrinth of Reims Cathedral.” Journal of the Society of Architectural
Historians 31(1962):18–25.
Demaison, Louis. “Les architectes de la cathédrale de Reims.” Bulletin archéologique du Comité
des Travaux Historiques et Scientifiques (1894):1–40.
Deneux, Henri. “Chronologie des maîtres d’oeuvre de la cathédrale de Reims.” Bulletin de la
Société Nationale des Antiquaires de France (1920):196–200.
Ravaux, Jean-Pierre. “Les campagnes de construction de la cathédrale de Reims au XIIIe siècle.”
Bulletin monumental 135(1979) :7–66.
The Encyclopedia 733