The ceiling of the Chapel of the White Penitents in Montpellier – N. Bonzom / Maxele Presse
- The Chapelle des Pénitents blancs, in Montpellier, has undertaken the restoration of its most remarkable works, including its sumptuous ceiling, composed of ten paintings painted by the Pezet workshop, which evoke the life of Jesus.
- A first work, painted by the Pezet workshop, was taken down almost four centuries later to study it and define an appropriate restoration protocol.
- To give the project a boost, the Heritage Foundation has launched a subscription, on the Internet, where anyone can make a donation.
In Montpellier (Hérault), the
Chapel of the White Penitents, property of the brotherhood of the same name, houses many treasures. This church, rebuilt in the 17th century on the remains of a first building, built five centuries earlier and destroyed during the Wars of Religion, has undertaken the restoration of its most remarkable works. Among them, its sumptuous ceiling, composed of a dozen paintings painted by the Pezet workshop, which evoke the life of Jesus, from his conception to his crucifixion.
As part of preliminary studies, essential before the launch of this vast project, one of these works, which represents his flight to Egypt, was carefully taken down a few days ago. No one had touched it for nearly four centuries. “There were the original nails,” notes Guilhem Van Den Haute, prior of the White Penitents, and president of the association. Before unhooking these canvases, we did not know how they were fixed, how they behaved, whether or not they had a frame, whether they were separated from the support which supported them or not … “
“Hollows and bumps”
The extent of the restoration of this ceiling, installed in 1671, is still unclear. Will the frames have to be replaced? Or “re-lining” certain paintings? The huge scaffolding, installed in the middle of the small chapel, has also shown that the works have become deformed over the centuries. “These are hollows and bumps that we had never noticed,” continues the prior of the White Penitents. We were always amazed that there wasn’t. It was simply because, seen from below, it was impossible to perceive them, even with excellent photos. “
The investigations carried out on this first painting, which should be completed at the beginning of the summer, will make it possible to define “a suitable restoration protocol”, confides Guilhem Van Den Haute. Its cost, too, will not be specified until the verdict of the studies falls. But the State, of course, and, perhaps, local communities, should give a boost to this extraordinary project. The Heritage Foundation has also launched a subscription, on the Internet, where anyone can donate.
This facelift, from which the 14 works that make up the ceiling should benefit, “will certainly not be able to be done all at once, for reasons of budget, but also of the capacity of the restoration workshops, notes Guilhem Van Den Haute. It will take years. Until then, the small chapel, listed as a Historic Monument, nestled near the Place de la Comédie, continues to host masses, and remains open to the public.