ST GABRIEL rises amidst the ruins of the still more ancient Roman city
of Ernaginum. A large number of tombs, similar to those we shall
presently meet with at the Alyscamps near Arles, but of the plainest
form, are here found along with fragments of inscriptions, statues, and
other antique relics. The church of St Gabriel, like so many others in
Provence, comprises in its design a mixture of classic and Romanesque
features. The west front (Fig. 73) is one of the finest of its kind. The
entrance doorway, with its fluted column, its imitated Corinthian
capitals, and high pitched pediment full of classic enrichments, might
easily pass for a structure of the Lower Empire. The bas-reliefs
represent the creation and the visit of the angel Gabriel to the
Virgin,--the personages being identified by their names inscribed beside
them. The upper part of the front exhibits a great archivolt springing
from imposts on each side of the portal, above which is a straight
cornice supporting a second pointed archivolt. The latter contains a
small circular window richly ornamented with classic leaves and other
enrichments, and having the symbols of the four evangelists placed
around it. The church has a single nave, covered with a pointed tunnel
vault. The buttresses are more pronounced than usual, which may indicate
a transition towards the later Provençal style, and seem to point to the
date of the building being late in the twelfth century, notwithstanding
its very classic features.
A short journey now brings us to ARLES, the ancient capital of the
province, and one of the chief architectural centres of our district,
both as regards classic and mediæval art.
The principal mediæval edifice of Arles is the church of St Trophime,
the patron saint. It is a large and important structure, containing
specimens of all the peculiarities of Provençal architecture on a
complete and extensive scale. The nave of the church was erected in the
twelfth century, and is quite distinct in character from the beautiful
western porch and the splendid cloisters which belong to the older and
more ornate period of Provençal architecture. The choir and apse were
rebuilt in 1430 in the Northern style. The nave (Fig. 74), like that of
all the Southern churches of the same age is very simple internally.
This is the first fine example we have met with of the second period of
Provençal architecture--in which the plain and rigid Cistertian style
superseded the earlier and richer architecture of which we have observed
so many remarkable specimens. Thus the piers (Fig. 74) are merely square
blocks of masonry, with flat projections or pilasters on each face,
carried up to receive the small mouldings or imposts from which spring
the wall arches on each side of the nave (between it and the side
aisles), and the transverse arches, which strengthen the pointed barrel
vault of the central nave. The latter consist of two rings, the inner
arch springing from the main pier, and the side orders from fluted
classic-looking columns introduced in the angles of the main piers to
receive them. The side aisles are very narrow and lofty, and are roofed
with one half of a pointed vault thrown as an abutment against the upper
part of the nave wall. The nave windows are flanked by twisted columns
with Romanesque caps. The pointed arches, resting on four strong piers,
which carry the central tower, are seen at the crossing of the church,
with a lofty plain wall forming the lower part of the tower, resting
upon them. This partially cuts off the view of the choir from the nave,
and indicates that the vault of the original church was much lower than
that of the existing nave, the roof of which is nearly twice the height
of the arches of the crossing. The latter, forming the support of the
tower, could not be removed when the nave was rebuilt and enlarged. The
tower (Fig. 11) rises high above the roof
[Illustration: FIG. 74. ST TROPHIME, ARLES.]
of the church. It extends to three full storys and an attic crowned with
a pointed roof having a very flat slope. The two lower storys have the
arcaded Romanesque ornament so common in Lombardy and Germany, while the
upper story shews three Corinthian pilasters on each side. The tower is
heavy, but recalls the general effect of the Italian campanile, and
corresponds in style with the earlier work of the portal and cloisters.
[Illustration: FIG. 75. WEST PORTAL OF ST TROPHIME, ARLES.]
The elaborate and beautiful western portal (Fig. 75) is fortunately well
preserved. It has the appearance of having been added in front of the
plainer wall of the nave, and is thus generally stated to be of more
recent construction than the nave, but we believe that the portal is
much more likely to be part of an older building, which has been
preserved in the re-construction of the nave. Portals being generally
highly ornamental features, were frequently so preserved. We have met
with good examples of this at Notre Dame des Doms and at Tarascon, and
others will occur as we proceed. The central arch is almost insensibly
pointed; but whether intentionally or accidentally it is difficult to
say,--most likely the latter, from its being so indistinct. This porch
is probably an imitation on a small scale of the much grander one of St
Gilles (to be referred to immediately). The engaged pillars, with their
carved caps and bases so strongly akin both to classic and Romanesque
work, stand on a high stylobate approached by a wide flight of steps.
The space between the pillars is formed into a series of niches,
bordered on each side with an enriched pilaster and filled with the
figure of an apostle or an early saint. The sculpture of these figures,
although Roman in general character, shews a leaning towards Byzantine
design, especially in the rich carving of the jewels and ornaments on
the dresses. The tympanum over the central doorway, which is divided
into two openings with a central shaft, contains the figure of Christ in
glory surrounded with the emblems of the four evangelists, and in the
soffit of the arch are two tiers of half length adoring angels. On the
lintel are sculptured the twelve apostles seated; while the frieze on
the right hand of Christ contains the just, clothed and received by
Abraham, and that on the left the unjust, represented as naked and being
dragged by a demon with a chain backwards through flames. The leaf,
egg, and other enrichments are quite classic, while the modillions
supporting the cornice of the gablet over the porch have the usual
Romanesque character. This porch strikes one at a glance as being of a
totally different style from the body of the church. The latter belongs,
as already mentioned, to the reformed Cistertian style of the twelfth
century, while the former is in the older and more florid Provençal
style of Romanesque, although probably earlier in the same century.
But the most delightful structure connected with this very interesting
church is the cloisters. The oldest portions of these belong to the
commencement of the twelfth century. The four arcades enclosing the
cloister garth are complete. That adjoining the church wall (the north
side) is the oldest, while the eastern side (represented in the sketch
Fig. 76) is not much later in date. The other two sides are Gothic
restorations of the thirteenth century.
The two first galleries are splendid specimens of the florid style of
Provençal art. They are constructed with piers of considerable size and
solidity, which occur at the angles and at regular intervals, the
intermediate spaces being filled with round arches resting on coupled
columns.
The roof is covered with a barrel vault, built with carefully wrought
arch stones, and strengthened with boldly moulded transverse ribs thrown
between the solid piers and consoles on the inner wall. The latter and
the string course between them are about two feet higher than the
cornice on the side of the arcade from which the vault springs, thus
giving an awkward shape to the transverse ribs. This arrangement
probably arose from the original construction of the roof, which was
composed of tiles laid on the outside of the vault, and formed a
“lean-to” against the church, like that of the cloisters
[Illustration: FIG. 76. CLOISTERS, ST TROPHIME, ARLES. (_Eastern
Arcade._)]
of Mont-Majour, to be treated of presently. In the thirteenth century,
when the two other sides of the cloister were restored, the outer wall
was raised so as to convert the sloping roof into a level promenade,
furnished with stone seats along the parapet.
The angle piers are so designed as to receive the springing of three
transverse ribs--one at right angles across each of the adjoining
galleries, and one diagonally under the line of the junction of the two
barrel vaults. The intermediate piers are strengthened with an external
buttress in the shape of a square classic-looking pilaster, fluted and
provided with a capital imitated from the Corinthian. The piers are all
adorned with sculptured figures of large size. Those in the original
work are well preserved, having been cut in the solid, while the statues
in the two Gothic arcades, which were executed in separate stones, have
been removed and destroyed. The coupled columns and caps are all
executed in grey marble, and the latter are amongst the finest examples
of the “storied” carving of the period, every cap containing a subject
from sacred history. The wall of the church next the north cloister
contains a beautiful Romanesque arcade, with fluted pilasters (Fig. 76.)
The Gothic parts of the cloister have piers alternating with coupled
columns, and the details have evidently (as sometimes occurs) been
executed so as to correspond in design with the older work. Of the
bas-reliefs on the piers the best are the most ancient. The same general
remarks on the style apply here as in the case of the porch; there being
a great mixture of classic and Romanesque influence in both.
In this great structure we thus find an epitome of Provençal art. The
cloisters and porch, representing the richly decorated Provençal form of
Romanesque; the nave, the plain reformed style of the Cistertians;
while the choir exhibits the weak sort of Northern Gothic imported in
the fifteenth century, which is entirely without interest beside the
more impressive examples of genuine Provençal architecture. It will be
observed that in the main structural features the pointed arch is
employed, while in the portal, cloisters and windows the round arch is
used.
[Illustration: FIG. 77. “CLOCHER” OF THE CHURCH OF ST HONORAT, ARLES.
(From _Révoil_.)]
At the “Alyscamps,” the famous cemetery of Arles (described in Part
IV.), several remains of the numerous churches and chapels formerly
connected with it may still be seen. The church of St Honorat is the
most important. It is of very ancient foundation, but has been
frequently repaired and restored. The west doorway, with its zigzag and
other enrichments, is evidently of the twelfth century. The tower or
“clocher” (Fig. 77) also appears to be of that date, and bears the usual
character of Provençal Romanesque. The dome which covers it is, however,
a somewhat unusual feature.
A few other ancient churches are to be seen at Arles, but they are all
much decayed or altered.
The churches of Notre Dame la Majeure and Ste Magdeleine, are very
ancient foundations, but there is little of the old work left. St
Césaire is also ancient, but is converted into private houses, and there
are only scraps of the original structure remaining.
After being united to France, and thus delivered from the incessant
struggles maintained in earlier times between the Bishops, the Podestàs
and the counts of Provence, Arles exhibited numerous signs of growing
prosperity. The union with an established power seems to have imparted a
considerable impulse to the prosperity of Provence, which began to
revive under a settled government; and Arles, as the chief town,
naturally benefited greatly from the improvement. Indications of this
amelioration are met with at every turn in the narrow streets, which
abound in fine examples of Renaissance work. The early picturesque style
of French Renaissance, so usual in Anjou and on the banks of the Loire,
is of frequent occurrence here. Of the above tendency Fig. 78 may be
taken as an example, shewing by the striking arrangement of the
staircase in the courtyard, how picturesque this style may be made when
suitably and naturally treated. We may also observe in the midst of the
abundant ruins of the ancient Roman architecture of this city, numerous
palaces in the classic style of the sixteenth century; the revival of
which the ancient works had lived to witness, and probably had also
helped to forward with suggestions for their design.
[Illustration: FIG. 78. RENAISSANCE HOUSE IN ARLES.]
The buildings of this period in Arles are particularly rich in
tabernacles or niches at the corners of the streets, filled with the
image of a saint, before which hangs a lamp. These are not uncommon in
most continental towns, but here some of them are very finely designed
and add much to the generally quaint and striking character of the
houses.
Of the Renaissance buildings of Arles the Hôtel de Ville is worthy of
observation. The Tour de l’Horloge (1550), is a good specimen, and the
vaulting and general effect of the pillared hall and staircase are fine
(1675).
About three miles from Arles stand the ruins of the great monastic
establishment of MONT-MAJOUR, which comprise a most interesting series
of structures, illustrative of Provençal architecture in all its stages,
from the primitive rock-hewn hermitage of St Trophime to the fully
developed church of the Cistertian style, concluding with a rich and
luxurious edifice of the time of the Renaissance.
[Illustration: FIG. 79. PLAN OF HERMITAGE OF ST CESAIRE, MONT-MAJOUR.]
This monastery is situated on a rocky hill which rises out of the flat
plain of the Rhone, and which, in Roman times, was undoubtedly an island
surrounded by the waters of the river. Near the base of the south-east
side of the rock, a cave is said to have formed the hermitage of St
Trophime, the patron saint of Arles (Fig. 79). To preserve and
consecrate this hermitage it was converted into a chapel, and enclosed
with an arcade (the inner one) cut in the rock. To this again at a later
time an outer wall has been added so as to form a chapel, dedicated to
St Peter, on the exterior of the cave. Beyond the east end of the
chapel there are three additional rude chambers hollowed out of rock.
One of these, which is nearly filled with a great stone seat, is called
the confessional of St Trophime. At the west end there is a space
forming a kind of entrance porch or narthex.
The ancient chapel or hermitage is entirely excavated in the rock, and
has a seat left along the inner side, which being continued round the
east end forms a step up to the choir. This chapel may be of a very
early date, but it is impossible to fix its age from the total absence
of architectural features.
[Illustration: FIG. 80. HERMITAGE OF ST TROPHIME, MONT-MAJOUR--CHAPEL OF
ST PETER.]
The outer chapel (Fig. 80) is not of so great antiquity, but the
ornament of the caps and form of the tunnel vault belong to the
earliest period of the Provençal style--probably the ninth or tenth
century. The exterior is seen at the bottom of Fig. 85.
The monastery was erected on the upper part of the rock, and was
surrounded like a feudal castle with a fortified wall of enceinte. It
was also protected by a keep or citadel, such as frequently occurs in
these Southern monasteries, exposed as they were to attack on all hands.
The church of the monastery of Mont-Majour is an example of the severe
style of the twelfth century, and likewise of the aisle-less plan of the
Southern provinces. This church was founded in 1016, and was conceived
on a very large scale, but little seems to have been done during the
following hundred years, the most of the work being in the style of the
twelfth century. It consists of an upper church and a lower church or
very large crypt. The latter extends under a large part of the space
occupied by the upper church, and, like it, is in the form of a Latin
cross. The nave of the church is very short, owing to the works having
been stopped for want of funds to complete it on the extensive scale on
which it was originally projected. The crypt is all vaulted with
circular arches, and is extremely dark, the only light admitted being
what can penetrate into it from the small windows in the apse.
The arrangement of the choir of the crypt is peculiar. The altar stands
in the centre, and round it runs a wall with five wide arches opening on
a gallery which follows round the apse, and from which chapels radiate
in the various faces of the octagon. The chief altar is thus visible
from almost any part of the choir.
The upper church forms one great hall with a transept and apse, and is
roofed with pointed tunnel vaults strengthened with transverse ribs, but
is entirely without ornament.
[Illustration: FIG. 81. THE CHURCH AND KEEP MONT-MAJOUR.]
It has, however, an effect of simple grandeur and spaciousness owing to
its size; but from the shortness of the nave, there is a want of due
proportion in the various parts. The choir, as is usual in Cistertian
churches of this date, is very short, the apse beginning almost at the
transept.
[Illustration: FIG. 82. CLOISTERS, MONT-MAJOUR.]
The whole building is solidly constructed with good ashlar work. The
west doorway is round arched, and is surmounted with a large pointed
window from which the principal light in the church is obtained. The
exterior is as unornamental as the interior. The east end (Fig. 81) is
finished with a polygonal apse, the windows of which in the upper church
are simple round arches springing from shafts recessed in the jambs. The
exterior of the apse of the crypt is peculiar, owing to the form of the
segmental depressed arches, enclosing deep recesses, at the inner end of
which are the small windows of the crypt. The depressed form of arch was
probably adopted owing to the want of height and the desire to admit as
much light as possible. The same segmental form is also employed in the
cloister arcades. The apse has been heightened at a late period and the
interior made circular. An enriched Gothic chapel has been added to the
north transept in the fourteenth century, and extensive Gothic
buildings, now in a state of total ruin (_see_ Figs. 81, 82) have been
extended to the south of the church.
The Abbey of Mont-Majour contains a cloister (Fig. 82) with the same
style of ornament and sculpture, but much simpler in design than that of
St Trophime. The cloister walk is covered with a plain barrel vault
constructed with carefully wrought stones, strengthened with transverse
ribs resting on “storied” consoles built into the wall. The arcade is
formed with segmental arches springing from solid piers, and fluted
pillars, with the simplest cornice. Each large arch is filled in with
three small round ones, springing from light shafts with elaborately
carved caps. The buttresses are fluted like those of St Trophime. The
original lean-to roof, covered with stone flags and provided with large
rude gargoyles and corbels, is here preserved, and shews what that at
Arles was like when first constructed. The cloister here, as at St
Trophime, is in the original Provençal style, and is probably a relic of
an older series of structures which existed before the present church
was erected in the second Provençal style of the twelfth century.
A remarkable specimen of a plan more common in the East than the West
occurs in the chapel of STE CROIX (Fig. 83), which seems to have been
the mortuary chapel of the monks. The main building consists of four
apses arranged in the form of a Greek cross, and crowned over the
[Illustration: CHAPELLE DE SAINTE CROIX MONTMAJOUR
FIG. 83.]
crossing with a square dome. This is preceded by a square porch with
simple barrel vault, separated by a door from the chapel. The whole
aspect (Fig. 84) and arrangements of the edifice have a strange and
foreign appearance, and recall the architecture of the East. At the same
time the high triangular pediments of the exterior, and the cornices,
egg mouldings, modillions, and the simple circular arch of the doorway,
are all features characteristic of the late Empire; while the ornamental
cresting and other details are illustrative of the Eastern character
impressed on Roman work at Byzantium, and thence transported into
Western Europe. In the porch is an inscription attributing the
foundation to Charlemagne, but Mérimée clearly proves that this is a
forgery, and that the date of the building is 1019. The chapel is only
lighted with three small windows, which open upon a little enclosure
where numerous shallow graves have been excavated in the rock. A door in
the south apse also opens into this graveyard, so that the bodies might
be carried into it from the chapel after the service had been performed.
Several similar graves are cut in the rock in front of the porch. These
excavations are all very
[Illustration: FIG. 84. MORTUARY CHAPEL, MONT-MAJOUR.]
small, some no more than 3 feet long, and do not appear ever to have
been occupied. Mérimée is of opinion that in order to give their shrine
as much appearance of antiquity and sanctity as possible, and especially
to enable it to compete with the very successful cemetery of the
Alyscamps at Arles, the monks had not only put up the fabricated
inscription above referred to, but had also caused these trenches to be
cut in the rock to represent the graves of martyrs.
[Illustration: FIG. 85. MONT-MAJOUR--THE KEEP, HERMITAGE, ETC.]
[Illustration: FIG. 86. MONT-MAJOUR--PLANS AND SECTION OF KEEP.]
We have already seen that this monastery was fortified and surrounded
with walls. But it was chiefly strengthened with a great donjon, such as
the abbots, who were also great feudal lords, frequently constructed for
their own security, and that of the monks and their treasures, in case
of extremity. This keep (Fig. 85) was erected in 1369 by Pons de l’Orme.
It is very substantially built with square-dressed stones, the surface
being left rough or bossy, as was the custom at that time. The building
(Fig. 86) is a simple parallelogram, 48 feet by 32 feet, with a slight
projection at one angle to contain the staircase. The doorway gives
direct access to the ground floor, which is vaulted with a pointed
tunnel vault, ornamented with ribs springing from corbels (_see_
section). A cellar occupies part of a lower story, which also contains a
well. The vault over the ground floor may possibly have formed a
separate dark loft or store, for storage of provisions, &c. The lower
portion of this floor has one window only. The hall, or chief living
room, was on the first floor. It is provided with fire-places and
cupboards, and is lighted by two windows on one side, furnished with
stone seats. The height of the tower from the basement to the parapet is
about 80 feet, and the top forms a platform supported on a pointed arch.
The space between the lower and upper vaults was divided into three
floors, with wooden beams and joisting. The corbels for these still
remain, but all the woodwork is destroyed. The platform on the top is
surrounded with a parapet supported on bold corbels. At the angles the
parapet is rounded off, so as to give the effect of projecting angle
bartizans.
From the corbels seen on the exterior of the south side of the tower, at
the first floor level, it seems probable that some kind of wooden
platform was constructed between the keep and the outer wall, from which
the passage between them, which formed a principal access to the abbey,
might be vigorously defended. One cannot help being struck with the
peculiarly military aspect of the tower, and its strange proximity to
the more sacred structures of the abbey.
The ruins of some Gothic erections and of the sumptuous edifice, begun
by the Benedictine monks of the eighteenth century, but interrupted by
the breaking out of the Revolution, are visible in Fig. 81.
A short run by rail westward from Arles takes to the ancient town and
abbey church of ST GILLES. This church, which is unfortunately but a
fragment, possesses the finest portal in Provence, in the same style as
that of St Trophime at Arles. The town stands on the branch of the Rhone
called Le Petit-Rhône, which bounds the delta on the west. It bore
originally the name of Vallis Flaviana, and is supposed to stand near
the site of an ancient Roman city. An abbey was founded here by St
Ægidius (or St Gilles) in the sixth century, around which the town
gradually clustered.