This small village in the valley Mouzon South Neufchâteau, conceals a real treasure: the Romanesque parish church of St. Martin. This figure, with those of the Cathedral of Verdun, churches Laitre sous Amance and VOMECOURT-sur-Madon, among the finest examples of historical novels portals of Lorraine.
The portal, located in front of a church rebuilt in the nineteenth century, is the last major architectural witness of the ancient Roman sanctuary.
Few historical elements allow us to understand why the church St. Martin was endowed with such a portal! According to the chronicler Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum in , a meeting took place at Pompierre (" Pontem quem Petrium vocitant "), in 577, between the King of Burgundy, Gontran , and his nephew and king of Austrasia, Childebert. Was there then an earlier church or chapel? Probably!
Tradition (debatable!) In the twelfth century, the Duke of Lorraine, to commemorate the encounter that took place in 577, demanded a great portal is provided on the new Romanesque church.
The Pouillé Toul (1402) also tells us that the parish was included in the Pompierre Deanery Bourmont and that the priest was appointed by the canons of the collegiate Meuse Our Lady of Ligny-en-Barrois.
The Pouillé Toul (1402) also tells us that the parish was included in the Pompierre Deanery Bourmont and that the priest was appointed by the canons of the collegiate Meuse Our Lady of Ligny-en-Barrois.
the mid-nineteenth century, the church was in such poor condition that the common Pompierre decided to destroy it, but keeping the Romanesque portal, which will be dismantled stone by stone to be put on the new church . Originally, this Romanesque portal was on the north aisle of the old sanctuary, which the shell was apparently novel with possible additions during the Gothic period (berries). A drawing in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and run by FA Pernot, in 1795, shows the layout of the portal on the north aisle.
The destruction of the old dilapidated church intervened so between 1854 and 1859. Then in 1860 the new parish church was rebuilt at another location with more space. The portal is then reassembled, either on one of the aisles, but the front.
Today, this masterpiece of Romanesque art is protected by a wooden shed.
The neo-Romanesque church with only a limited interest, we focus on the Romanesque portal. The influence of Burgundy, the land known for its Romanesque churches, is without question. Back to the late twelfth century, the portal has embellished Pompierre however, by the artistic rendering of the portals at Vezelay in Burgundy or novels of Autun. But the artist who carved this gem, nevertheless attempted to propose a work approaching its Burgundian models even if one detects a few blunders.
When discovered the portal for the first Pompierre time, one is struck by its richness. and its artistic beauty. Under the arches, all different (in a zig-zag slotted and foliage), the tympanum and lintel historiated supported by anthropomorphic pellets, available to us. Here, the central theme of the tympanum is the Adoration of the Magi. Indeed, under the arcades of columns consisting Romance finely engineered (octagonal, quadruple etc.) and foliage capitals, successive three Magi bringing gifts to the Christ Child while sitting on the lap of her mother, the Blessed Virgin. At the left end, an angel announces to shepherds the birth of Christ, an event preceding the arrival of the Magi. The upper part of tympanum, shows, from left to right, the Massacre of the Innocents on order of King Herod and the Flight from Egypt to Jesus and his parents, and three easily identifiable characters (maybe the Angel Gabriel , a priest and another character!)
What about the lintel? The artist chose the theme, the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem. This shows, from right to left, a procession composed of Christ sitting on his ass (with his colt) followed by four apostles (including Saint-Pierre) is welcomed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem from out of the city with branches (or flippers) by hand. At the rear of Jerusalemites, the city of Jerusalem is represented embattled with other people perched on the ramparts fins in hand. Then, sandwiched between the city of Jerusalem and the arches, the Virgin suckling the infant Jesus occupies space.
Each piers flanking the entrance and supporting arches are constituted of three columns (decorated with baskets, foliage and tracery, or smooth) topped with carved capitals (faces and bodies of two monsters; foliage on; birds on another) and historical (the first two capitals of the pier left recall the Resurrection of Lazarus by Christ in front of witnesses, sisters Mary and Martha and the resurrected apostles including St. Peter). At the base of some columns, one guesses salamanders or sirens intertwined, making the round of figures and headless body of a lion.
I'll let you discover the portal through photos and other comments ...
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Pompierre location in the Vosges
Location of Saint Martin in the village
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The neo-Romanesque church with Romanesque front
The tympanum and lintel-based pellets anthropomorphic
falling under arches carved on the capitals historiated
headed monsters, body to volatile and foliage.
The eardrum with the Adoration of the Magi and the lintel below,
with the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
eardrum - The Adoration of the Magi:
from right to left,
first seen Balthazar with a ciborium full of
myrrh (resin from the balsam used to strengthen and protect the infant Jesus) comes
Gaspard then holding a cornucopia full of gold
(royal symbol of wealth with recognition of the divine nature of Jesus);
Melchior and finally topped with a ciborium incense
(symbol of spirituality).
Tympanum - Balthazar with his ciborium full of myrrh to the Christ Child
then sat on the lap of her mother, the Blessed Virgin.
Tympanum - Balthazar with the ciborium
filled with myrrh
Tympanum - Gaspard holding a horn of plenty
filled with gold.
Tympanum - Melchior with a ciborium full of incense
Tympanum - The Virgin and Child Jesus
Tympanum - The Annunciation to the shepherds of the birth of Christ.
An angel led the index to the shepherds told them the coming
the world of Jesus. The Three Shepherds of the scene are represented here with their sticks
and sheep.
Lintel - Virgin and Child, located at the rear of the Town of Jerusalem
preparing to receive Christ.
Lintel - Virgin suckling the infant Jesus
Lintel - People leaving Jerusalem palms in their hands to go
in front of Christ. Children, perched in a tree, cut
branches to throw them on the passage of the son of God.
And finally, others, closer to Christ, extend their clothes
before him in reverence.
Faces Lintel-four of the six figures holding palms
Lintel - Two children extending their clothing before Jesus
lintel - Christ crowned seated on his donkey arrives in Jerusalem with
right hand raised in blessing and the left hand
supporting a book, one of the new law.
It is followed by four apostles holding palms and a colt.
The first of the apostles is Saint-Pierre recognizable
with the key he presses against him.
Lintel - Christ blessing with his royal crown
Tympanum - The top:
The Massacre of the Innocents on the orders of Herod here his throne.
Two henchmen in the pay of the King, preparing to behead two innocent
in front of witnesses at the rear.
Tympanum - The top:
The flight into Egypt the Holy Family with Joseph in the lead, followed
of Mary and Jesus on a donkey and perched behind a woman carrying baggage.
Tympanum - The top:
The Angel Gabriel (?), A priest and another character
piers left - Columns with capitals
Console left a bearded figure with a dunce's cap and pulling
language
piers left - Marquees supporting arches
piers left - Tent with heads of monsters in the first column
piers left - Chapiteau at
floral decoration of the central column
floral decoration of the central column
piers left - tent decorated with three birds (eagles?)
of the third column.
of the third column.
piers left - two entwined mermaids or salamanders
supporting the first column.
supporting the first column.
piers left - A headless body of a lion supporting the third column.
around the first column
pier right - Columns historiated
pier right - The narrative capitals and heads of monsters
pier right - Capital in the first column
depicting the Resurrection of Lazarus by Christ
depicting the Resurrection of Lazarus by Christ
pier right - Christ Blessing Lazarus, the resurrected
pier right - Witnesses (including Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus)
of the Resurrection of Lazarus
pier right - Capital of the central column contained
four apostles including St. Peter with his key, far left.
four apostles including St. Peter with his key, far left.
pier right - Capital of the central column
with St. Pierre on the left.
with St. Pierre on the left.
pier right - Tent with heads of monsters
third column.
third column.
piers left column decorated with foliage and scrolls
pier right column decorated with foliage and tracery
piers left
columns decorated with braiding
columns decorated with braiding
pier right
columns decorated with braiding
The arches decorated foliage, and zigzag grooves
Despite the necessary restoration, which will give him the benefit of a bang,
portal Pompierre is one of the jewels of Romanesque art in Lorraine.
Copyright - Olivier PETIT - 2010
