DP Strasbourg1200 - Musées de Strasbourg

STRASBOURG 1200-1230
THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM –
ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES
16 OCTOBER 2015 / 14 FEBRUARY 2016
National and international press
relations
Regional press relations
Heymann, Renoult Associées
Sarah Heymann, Elodia Ferreira and Bettina
Bauerfeind
National press / Elodia Ferreira
e.ferreira@heymann-renoult.com
International press / Bettina Bauerfeind
b.bauerfeind@heymann-renoult.com
tel. (+33) 01 44 61 76 76
Press kit and visuals
downloadable at:
www.heymann-renoult.com
Museums communication department
Julie Barth
julie.barth@strasbourg.eu
tel: 03 68 98 74 78
Press kit and visuals
downloadable at:
www.musees.strasbourg.eu
PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
1. INTRODUCTION
PAGE 2
2. PROJECT
PAGE 3
3. EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS
PAGE 4
4. EXHIBITION LAYOUT
PAGE 6
5. CATALOGUE
PAGE 7
6. EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EVENTS
PAGE 9
7. LENDERS
PAGE 11
8. LIST OF WORKS EXHIBITED
PAGE 12
9. THE ŒUVRE NOTRE DAME MUSEUM –
ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES
PAGE 16
10. TWO NEW ROOMS FOR THE MUSEUM'S
ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS
PAGE 18
11. THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND THE CATHEDRAL MILLENIUM
PAGE 19
12. VISITOR INFORMATION
PAGE 20
13. LIST OF VISUALS AVAILABLE TO THE PRESS
PAGE 21
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
1. Introduction
This exhibition is being held to commemorate the Millenium of the foundations of Strasbourg
cathedral and is centred on the advent of the Gothic style in Strasbourg in the early 13th
century.
The south transept of the cathedral was the earliest expression of the new style in Germanspeaking lands. The sculptural creations it inspired, particularly the statues of the Church, the
Synagogue and the Pillar of Angels, are among the most celebrated masterpieces of medieval
Western art. Strasbourg was thus projected to the forefront of the contemporary artistic scene,
both through the commissions arriving in its workshops and the influence of the works produced
there. The statuary of Strasbourg cathedral displays the influence of the cathedrals of Chartres
and Sens. It was soon imitated at Bamberg Cathedral and echoes of it can be found as far away
as the stained glass of St. Elizabeth in Marburg.
Where possible, the exhibition has brought together works originating from European public and
private collections that reflect this artistic upheaval, including sculpture, stained glass,
illuminated manuscripts and gold and silverware, and evoke the sources and the influence of
this unique workshop.
Curatorship
Cécile Dupeux, head curator of the Œuvre Notre-Dame museum
Jean Wirth, honorary professor of medieval art history at the University of Geneva
Research and Technical Collaboration
Sabine Bengel, art historian at the Œuvre Notre-Dame Foundation
Jérôme Habersetzer, exhibition design and floor plan
The exhibition enjoys exceptional financial support from Strasbourg Eurometropolis
The Church. Portal of the south transept of the cathedral.
Strasbourg, shortly before 1225
Sandstone. Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame.
Photo : Mathieu Bertola
The Synagogue. Portal of the south transept of the
cathedral. Strasbourg, shortly before 1225
Sandstone. Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame.
Photo : Mathieu Bertola
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
2. Project
Several major exhibitions have been held in recent years on 13th century Gothic art, especially
those in Magdeburg (2009), Naumburg (2011) and Paris (2014), and they have included
substantial catalogues enriching our knowledge of the great centres of creation. The role played
by Strasbourg cathedral in the dissemination and transformation of this French style throughout
the Holy Roman Empire as the century began deserved in turn to be re-evaluated. The trail
leading "from Sens to Strasbourg " via Chartres, admirably studied in 1966 by Willibald
Sauerländer, needed to be reviewed in the light of new knowledge. An example is the sculptural
style of Burgundy, sometimes seen as a halfway point between Chartres and Strasbourg,
sometimes as contemporary with or even influenced by that of Strasbourg.
The advent of the Gothic style in Strasbourg was a revolution. In a phase of rapid expansion and
assertiveness, the city rose in a generation to the rank of a major artistic centre. Gold- and
silverware, apparently already of good quality, was opening up to new trends from the Meuse
and it is probably no coincidence that the first evidence we have of this is the acquisition of the
city seal by a legal personality rather than the bishop.
The cathedral's modest Romanesque sculpture was now replaced by statuary of matchless
splendour. Whereas until then it had imitated the work of neighbouring towns like Worms and
Basel, for the next three centuries its influence continued to spread ever further. The origin of
this revolution would seem to be in the choices made by a sculptor - or more likely someone
who was both sculptor and architect - working at the cathedral of Chartres.
This episode is still the subject of many disagreements among historians: the chronology, the
relations between old and new teams of stonemasons and sculptors, the exact meaning of the
architectural programme or the relations with other sites are all disputed. By bringing together
views of the best specialists on both sides of the Rhine, the exhibition catalogue provides a
critical approach and a significant advance from conjecture to reasonable certainty. Combining
established knowledge and new data, it gives the public a chance to discover or to improve their
knowledge of one of the greatest moments in Strasbourg's artistic history.
It was logical to present this exhibition at the Oeuvre Notre Dame Museum, a museum devoted
to the regional art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance and holding the two masterpieces of the
Church and the Synagogue and several other pieces from this workshop. It continues a
programme of exhibitions highlighting the most representative creators and periods of the city's
artistic history.
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
3. Exhibition Highlights
The first exhibition on the Master of the south transept
The exhibition's aim has been to bring together identified works* of the Master of the south
transept and his followers, and examine the impact of recent research on previous theories.
Museum spaces have been redesigned for the exhibition by the designer Jerome Habersetzer.
The spaces created are adapted to the exhibits: intimate for manuscripts and small statues,
larger for a more dramatic presentation of the monumental sculptures, with a new museum
presentation throwing into relief the statues of Church and Synagogue.
The exhibition is also an opportunity to compare the Master's sculptures with works from major
French Gothic workshops of this period, and particularly the rood screen reliefs of Chartres
Cathedral (not normally exhibited) and various workshops in Burgundy (Sens, Semur, Dijon ...).
* When dealing with non-transportable monumental sculptures (e.g. The Pillar of Angels), works may be shown in the
form of casts.
Nativity. Part of the rood screen of Chartres cathedral, about 1230. Chartres, French State,
Architecture and Heritage Department, Notre-Dame cathedral, Chartres
Rediscovery of a lost work by the Master
The research carried out in preparing the exhibition led to the rediscovery of an exceptional
item, the head of St. John from the series of apostles on the south portals, most of which had
fallen victim to revolutionary iconoclasts. This fragment was still in Strasbourg until the 1920s
and is known from old photographs. It has been identified as belonging to a private owner who
has generously agreed to lend it. The head is of exceptional quality and shows the diversity of
the Master's style and a stylistic connection with Burgundian statuary. In its technical quality
and subtle rendering of facial features, it appears as one of the artist's most successful
productions.
Several works attributed to the Master's followers and to his regional influence will also be
presented to the public. For lack of space, these works of quality had until now remained in the
reserves. This is the case, for example, of a monumental recumbent effigy and a fragment of a
figure in a long flowing dress characteristic of the workshop's later production.
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
Head of St. John the Evangelist
Portals of the south transept of Strasbourg cathedral, before 1220
Sandstone. Private collection
Helping to develop research on the cathedral
Extensive studies undertaken as part of the project, especially on the polychromy of the
sculptures on the Pillar of the Angels and of the Church and Synagogue, have helped to increase
our knowledge of the original appearance of these sculptures. Assisted by the Foundation, a
comparative study of masons' marks observed in situ has led to new theories on the progression
of work and the sharing out of tasks between stonemasons.
The research conducted during the preparation of the exhibition has revealed hitherto unknown
aspects of the cathedral and its workshop.
Damned souls, pedestal of the statue of Christ,
Pillar of the Angels, (detail)
Strasbourg cathedral.
Photo : Jean Delivré
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
4. Exhibition layout
1st FLOOR
GROUND FLOOR
1 Strasbourg 1180-1230: the expanding
city. Historical context and Strasbourg in the
Romanesque period
2 The cathedral under construction, 11501210
3 The arts in Alsace, 1150-1210: stylistic
changes
4 Stylistic changes outside regional
frontiers: the 1200 style
5 The great cathedral building projects
6 The arrival of the Master of the south
crossing
7 Iconography and liturgy
8 The seals: markers of stylistic evolution
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10
11
12
13
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The statuary of the south crossing
The Burgundy question
Regional influence
The end of the workshop and new trends
Sequels in the Holy Roman Empire
PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
5. Catalogue
STRASBOURG 1200-1230. LA REVOLUTION GOTHIQUE
ISBN : 9782351251379
Soft cover. Text in French
Approx.250 illustrations, 304 pages
39 euros
Publication available from booksellers
Authors :
Publication directed by Cécile Dupeux and Jean Wirth
With contributions from Sabine Bengel, Damien Berné, Denise Borlée, Eva Maria Breisig, Jean
Delivré, Cécile Dupeux, Barbara Gatineau, Daniel Grütter, Julien Louis, Bernhard Metz, JeanPhilippe Meyer, Daniel Parello, Laurence Terrier-Aliferis, Marc Schurr, Jean Wirth, Andrea Worm
Extracts from the catalogue
Jean Wirth, « Une rupture artistique »
(…) Mais le prélat, le diplomate, voire le simple pèlerin qui avait l’occasion de se rendre à
Laon, à Soissons ou à Chartres, devait être stupéfié par les chantiers des cathédrales françaises,
leur gigantisme croissant malgré la légèreté des supports, l’évidemment des murs au profit des
vitraux, l’abondante statuaire des portails qui, grâce à la polychromie, donnait encore plus le
sentiment de réalité que les vestiges décolorés de l’Antiquité. La manière dont Strasbourg a
assimilé le renouveau artistique (…) pour devenir l’un des hauts-lieux de l’art gothique est le
sujet de cette exposition.
La très forte cohérence stylistique de la sculpture du transept sud présuppose la
direction du chantier par une forte personnalité qui a imposé un style à ses collaborateurs. Ce
n’est pas partout le cas. Ce l’est pour la statuaire de la cathédrale d’Amiens au niveau des
ébrasements, mais les portails de celle de Chartres sont moins homogènes, pour ne rien dire de
ses porches et de la façade occidentale de celle de Reims, où les styles les plus divers
cohabitent et se succèdent durant près d’une quarantaine d’années.
Le maître principal du chantier strasbourgeois vient certainement de Chartres, comme on l’a
remarqué depuis longtemps. La même prédominance des ingrédients chartrains caractérise
aussi bien la sculpture que son insertion dans l’architecture, ce qui renforce l’hypothèse de
l’architecte sculpteur. On a souvent rapproché son style figuratif de pièces chartraines comme la
sainte Modeste du porche nord. Le rapprochement est encore plus frappant avec la Vierge de la
Nativité du jubé dont le drapé s’organise exactement comme celui des statues
strasbourgeoises, jusqu’au pli soulignant l’articulation du bras gauche qu’on retrouve sur la
Synagogue. On serait tenté de donner ces œuvres au même artiste, si la sobriété des reliefs du
jubé ne contrastait avec la vivacité du sculpteur de Strasbourg (…)
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
Sabine Bengel, « Le décor sculpté des parties orientales de la cathédrale de Strasbourg – du
roman rhénan au gothique français »
(…) En érigeant l’élégant et gracile Pilier des Anges au centre du transept méridional, le nouvel
architecte créa un chef-d’œuvre unique dans la sculpture architecturale européenne. S’il sert à
supporter les nervures de la voûte quadripartite, à l’instar du pilier massif du transept nord
légèrement antérieur, il illustre en même temps de façon saisissante le Jugement dernier au
moyen de douze statues monumentales. Le concept est extrêmement novateur et sans
antécédent direct, car la représentation plastique du Jugement dernier dans les églises est
généralement réservée aux portails. Cette mise en scène sur un pilier, de surcroît avec des
figures plus grandes que nature, est unique en son genre. Autour d’un noyau octogonal d’à
peine un mètre de diamètre se greffent alternativement quatre colonnes épaisses et quatre
fines. Alors que les colonnes principales s’élèvent sans interruption jusqu’à la voûte, les plus
fines sont interrompues par des statues posées sur des consoles ou des socles ronds et
surmontées de baldaquins architecturés.
Au registre inférieur se dressent par paires les statues des quatre évangélistes en tant
qu’annonciateurs du Jugement dernier et de la Parousie du Christ. Au registre médian, des
anges aux silhouettes animées soufflent avec vigueur dans des trompettes. Comme tous les
anges du pilier, ils portent le vêtement liturgique des diacres. Dans le registre supérieur trône le
Christ (vers le nord-ouest), entouré de trois anges portant les instruments de la Passion – la
croix, la lance et la couronne d’épines. Vêtu d’un simple drapé, il montre ses plaies et regarde
avec douceur vers la vie terrestre en contrebas. À ses pieds, trois petites figures de ressuscités
sortent de leur tombeau. À dix-huit mètres de haut, le pilier s’achève par une frise de chapiteaux
à feuilles en calice qui recueillent les nervures de l’élégante voûte quadripartite à croisée
d’ogives. C’est seulement en faisant le tour du pilier que l’on prend pleinement conscience de la
richesse de ses différentes faces et du mouvement hélicoïdal qui l’anime. Initié par les gestes
variés des figures, ce mouvement culmine dans la statue du Christ en majesté. Alors que cette
dernière était intégralement peinte, les autres sculptures étaient recouvertes d’une polychromie
partielle laissant en réserve les vêtements, rarement attestée jusqu’à présent au XIIIe siècle.
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
6. Educational and cultural events
GUIDED VISITS
In French
Sundays at 11 am
Duration: 1 hour
In German
Saturdays 17 October, 7 November, 5 December, 2 January et 6 February at 11 am
Duration: 1 hour
"From Cathedral to Museum"
Introduction to the south arm of the cathedral transept and the statuary featured in the
exhibition
Saturdays 24 October, 14 November, 12 December, 9 January and 13 February at 2.30 pm
Duration: 1 hour 30 mins
Number of participants limited to 20
TALK
At the Museum Auditorium (MAMCS)
Wednesday 4 November at 7 pm
"The south transept of Strasbourg cathedral, the work of a sculptor-architect?"
Jean Wirth, honorary professor of medieval art history at the University of Geneva and associate
exhibition curator.
VISIT: "UNE HEURE / UNE ŒUVRE" (An Hour for an Artwork)
Thursday 29 October at 12.30 pm
"The statuary of the south arm of the cathedral transept. Masterpieces of 13th century
European sculpture" with Sabine Bengel, art historian at the Œuvre Notre-Dame Foundation.
Duration: 1 hour
LE TEMPS D’UNE RENCONTRE (Meet the Specialists)
Meet museum and exhibition curators or their guests and discover their enthusiasm for an
artwork, a theme, an artist, an exhibition space or a technique.
- "Birth of an exhibition" with Cécile Dupeux, museum curator, Saturday 21 November 2015 at
2.30 pm
- "Christ, the Church and the Synagogue, the mirror of 13th century liturgy" with Brother Rémy
Vallejo, art historian and theologian, Saturday 28 November 2015 at 2.30 pm
- "Strasbourg and Burgundy, reciprocal influences" with Denise Borlée, senior lecturer in the
history of medieval art at Strasbourg University, Saturday 16 January 2016 at 2.30 pm
- "Was the statuary of the south transept painted?" with Jean Delivré, sculpture restorer,
Saturday 6 February at 2.30 pm
VOIR LES MUSEES AUTREMENT (Seeing the museums differently)
Saturday 6 February at 10 am
"Approaching the new forms of Gothic sculpture", visit suitable for visually impaired and blind
visitors
Duration: 2 hours
Booking required, tel. 03 68 98 51 54 Number of participants limited to 14.
WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS
Follow that pencil!
Wednesdays 4 November, 2 and 16 December, 6 and 20 January, 3 February at 3 pm
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
"Ligne claire (clear line) and hatching. Frame and out-of-frame." Drawing workshop in the
exhibition, for young people and adults.
Duration: 1 hour 30 mins
FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Family tour
Sundays 10, 17 and 24 January at 3 pm
A storybook visit: "The Listening Eye, a little lesson in art history" with Colette Uguen, storyteller.
Duration: 45 mins
EVENTS
A family weekend at the Museum!
Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January from 2 pm to 6 pm
Workshops, concerts, storytelling … and surprises!
A detailed programme will appear in time for the exhibition opening.
Concert
Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January at 6.15 pm
« Songs of the 12th and 13th centuries from the school of Notre-Dame » by the Hélianthus
ensemble, directed by Caroline Magalhães.
Duration: 45min
Booking opens Saturday 30 January at 10 am, at the museum cash desk.
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
7. Lenders
International lenders
Berlin, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst
Bern, Bürgerbibliothek
Freiburg im Breisgau, Universitätsbibliothek, Historische Sammlungen
Freiburg im Breisgau, Augustinermuseum
Karlsruhe, Badische Landesbibliothek
Mettlach, St. Lutwinus parish church
Stuttgart, Württembergische Landesbibliothek
Worms, Museum der Stadt im Andreasstift
French lenders
Besançon, musée des beaux-arts et d’archéologie
Dijon, Musée archéologique
Lyon, Musée Gallo-romain Lyon-Fourvière
Orléans, DRAC Centre, conservation régionale des monuments historiques
Paris, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine - Musée des Monuments français
Semur-en-Auxois, musée
Sens, musées
Strasbourg, Archives départementales
Strasbourg, Archives de la ville et de l’Eurométropole de Strasbourg
Strasbourg, Bibliothèque du Grand Séminaire
Strasbourg, Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire
Strasbourg, DRAC Alsace, conservation régionale des monuments historiques
Strasbourg, Fondation de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame
Private collection
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
8. List of works exhibited
Model of the Ottonian cathedral
Strasbourg, 2015. Stone, wood
Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre NotreDame
Engraving, Bishop's portal
Almanach d'Alsace pour l'année 1784
Paper. Strasbourg, Bibliothèque nationale et
universitaire
Engraving, toll gate (Zolltor)
Almanach d'Alsace pour l'année 1783
Paper. Strasbourg, Bibliothèque nationale et
universitaire
Zoomorphic pillar base
Strasbourg, late 12th century
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Cantor Baldolf's Consuetudines
Strasbourg, about 1190
Parchment. Stuttgart, Württembergische
Landesbibliothek
Charter of bishop Conrad of Hüneburg
Strasbourg, about 1201
Parchment. Strasbourg, Archives
départementales
Capital with mermaid (cast)
Strasbourg cathedral, north transept
Strasbourg, 12th century (original)
Plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Capital with men (cast)
Strasbourg cathedral, north transept
Strasbourg, 12th century (original)
Plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Addorsed capital
Strasbourg, late 12th century
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Capital
Worms, late 12th century,
Sandstone. Worms, Museum der Stadt im
Andreasstift
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Pillar base, reused and sculpted (with hare
and foliations design)
Strasbourg, about 1160
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of king (cast)
Strasbourg, about 1200 (original)
Plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Guta Sintram
Marbach, 1154
Parchment. Strasbourg, bibliothèque du
Grand Séminaire
Gospel book, Strasbourg or Wissembourg
Upper Rhine?, about 1200
Parchment. Karlsruhe, Württembergische
Landesbibliothek
Paris Psalter
Upper Rhine, early 13c
Parchment. Freiburg im Breisgau,
Universitätsbibliothek
Stained glass window, coronation of the
Virgin or the Church. Strasbourg, last
quarter 12c. Glass and lead
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Hortus Deliciarum, colour plates (copy).
Strasbourg, 19c
Paper. Strasbourg, bibliothèque du Grand
Séminaire
Engelhardt, Christian Moritz
Herrad von Landsperg, Aebtissin zu
Hohenburg oder St. Odilien, im Elsaß, im
zwölften Jahrhundert; und ihre Werk: Hortus
deliciarum: ein Beytrag zur Geschichte der
Wissenschaften, Literatur, Kunst, Kleidung,
Waffen und Sitten des Mittelalters
Stuttgart-Tübingen, 1818
Strasbourg, bibliothèque du Grand
Séminaire
Page from a book of models
Upper Rhine, about 1180-1200
Ink on parchment. Freiburg im Breisgau,
Augustinermuseum
Cross of Niedermünster
Engraving by Pierre Aubry le Jeune, 1669
Paper. Strasbourg, Bibliothèque nationale et
universitaire
J.J. Arhardt, Pillar of angels
Strasbourg, 17c
Engraving. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Leaded window of the Emperor
Strasbourg, early 13c
Glass and lead. Strasbourg, musée de
l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Homily of the saints (Summer)
Strasbourg (?), 11c, with 12c and 13c
additions. Parchment
Bern, Bürgerbibliothek
Fortune or Abundance
Ist century A.D. Bronze
Lyon, musée gallo-romain de Fourvière
Hortus Deliciarum, Crucifixion with the
Church and the Synagogue
XIXe siècle. Tracing, lead pencil
Strasbourg, bibliothèque du Grand
Séminaire
Statuette of Virgin Mary
About 1200. Bronze
Freiburg im Breisgau, Augustinermuseum
Statuette of a king, Solomon
Early 13c
Bronze. Berlin, Skulptursammlung und
Museum für Byzantinische Kunst
Statuette of a prophet
Early 13c
Bronze. Berlin, Skulptursammlung und
Museum für Byzantinische Kunst
Reliquary of the Holy Cross
1220-1228. Metal and precious stones
Mettlach, St. Lutwinus parish church
The Wise Men before Herod
Chartres, about 1220
Limestone. Chartres, cathédrale NotreDame
Keystone of arch, Simeon (cast)
Laon cathedral, about 1180-1200 (original)
Plaster. Paris, Cité de l’architecture et du
patrimoine - musée des Monuments
français
Console in the form of an atlas, known as
"the Moor" (cast)
Strasbourg, early 13c (original)
Plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Isaac Brunn, south portal of the cathedral
Strasbourg, 1617. Engraving
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
South transept of Strasbourg cathedral
17c. Engraving
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Two medallions, rose windows, south
transept, Strasbourg cathedral,
Strasbourg, about 1235
Glass and lead. Strasbourg, cathedral
Charter with the great seal of the city of
Strasbourg
Strasbourg, 1247. Parchment and wax
Strasbourg, Archives de la Ville et de
l’Eurométropole Strasbourg
Charter with the seal of bishop Henry II
(1202-1223)
Strasbourg, 1219. Parchment and wax
Strasbourg, Archives de la Ville et de
l’Eurométropole Strasbourg
Charter with the seal of bishop Berthold I
(1223-1244)
Strasbourg, 1225. Parchment and wax
Strasbourg, Archives de la Ville et de
l’Eurométropole Strasbourg
Charter with the seal of the emperor
Frederick II
Strasbourg, 1236. Parchment and wax
Strasbourg, Archives de la Ville et de
l’Eurométropole Strasbourg
Console in the form of an atlas
Strasbourg, about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Figures from the pillar of Angels (casts)
Strasbourg, about 1220 (originaux)
Plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Tympanum, crowning of the Virgin (cast)
Portal, south transept, Strasbourg cathedral,
before 1220 (original in place)
Painted plaster
Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre NotreDame
Tympanum, Dormition of the Virgin (cast)
Portal, south transept, Strasbourg cathedral,
before 1220 (original in place)
Painted plaster. Strasbourg, Fondation de
l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle (St. John)
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Private collection
Head of the bust of Christ above the throne
of Solomon
South portal, Strasbourg cathedral, about
1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Head of Apostle
Splay, south portal, Strasbourg cathedral,
about 1220
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
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The Nativity
Chartres, about 1230
Limestone. Chartres, cathédrale NotreDame
Head
About 1200
Stone
Sens, museums
The Church
Portal, south transept, Strasbourg cathedral,
before 1225
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
The Synagogue
Portal, south transept, Strasbourg cathedral,
before 1225
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Queen of Sheba or "Little" Church
Strasbourg cathedral, about 1225-1230
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Legs of a human figure
Strasbourg, about 1225
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Supporting slab for a recumbent effigy,
Strasbourg, about 1235
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Dog, baldachin of the young man with a
sundial
Strasbourg cathedral, about 1230-1240
Sandstone
Strasbourg, Fondation de l’Œuvre NotreDame
Young man with a sundial
Strasbourg cathedral, about 1230-1240
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
St. Michael
Strasbourg, about 1240-1250
Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Jesus in the house of Simon and
Flagellation
Semur-en-Auxois, 1225-1230
Stone
Semur-en-Auxois, museum
Youthful head of St. John the Baptist (?)
Semur-en-Auxois, between 1193 and 1200
Stone
Semur-en-Auxois, museum
Bearded head
Semur-en-Auxois, about 1200
Stone
Semur-en-Auxois, museum
Head of Moses
Dijon, about 1225
Limestone, remains of polychromy
Dijon, musée archéologique
Bust of Melchizedech
Besançon, about 1225
Stone. Besançon, musée des Beaux-arts et
d’archéologie
Sacrifice of Isaac
Strasbourg cathedral, about 1240
Sandstone, traces of polychromy
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
Apostle, rood screen, Strasbourg cathedral
Strasbourg, about 1250-1260
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
Statue of a king. King Solomon?
Freiburg im Breisgau, about 1230-1240
Red sandstone, remains of polychromy
Freiburg im Breisgau, Augustinermuseum
St. Mary Magdalen
Strasbourg or Freiburg, about 1250
Polychrome wood
Freiburg im Breisgau, Augustinermuseum
15
Strasbourg psalter
Upper Rhine, after 1235
Parchment. Karlsruhe, Landesbibliothek
Charter with the seal of the convent of St.
Catherine
Strasbourg, 1277. Parchment and wax
Strasbourg, Archives de la Ville et de
l’Eurométropole Strasbourg
The Church and the Synagogue in Bamberg
(casts)
Bamberg cathedral, Prince's Portal, about
1225 (originals). Plaster
Paris, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine
- musée des Monuments français
Tympanum from the conventual church of
St. Catherine
Strasbourg, 1242 (?). Sandstone
Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame
St. Margaret
Strasbourg cathedral, about 1240-1250
Sandstone. Strasbourg, musée de l’Œuvre
Notre-Dame
PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
9. The Œuvre Notre-Dame Museum – Arts of the Middle Ages
Set at the foot of the Cathedral, the Oeuvre Notre Dame Museum invites you on a journey
through seven centuries of art in Strasbourg and the Upper Rhine region. As one of the most
important artistic centres of the Holy Roman Empire, at the crossroads between France and
Bohemia, Flanders and Italy, the city's rich medieval and Renaissance collections reflect its
glorious past between the 13th and 16th centuries.
HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM
The creation of the museum was the work of Hans Haug. The chief curator and later director of
the Museums of Strasbourg from 1919 to 1963, Haug was also responsible for reorganizing
them. It was due to him that, after 1929, works of medieval art previously kept in different
places were brought together in the Maison de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame. These works included
those from other museums, sculptures removed from the cathedral and the reserves of the
Society for the Conservation of Historic Monuments in Alsace, largely put together following the
widespread destruction of Romanesque and Gothic buildings in the late nineteenth century.
When opened to the public in 1931, the museum contained sections on furniture, metalwork,
tapestries, stained glass and wood carving as well as stonework and sculptures removed from
the Cathedral. It then went through several phases of expansion with the successive addition of
paintings, silverware, archaeology, furniture and Romanesque sculpture. Several Strasbourg
houses and interiors saved from demolition and a number of older architectural elements were
also gradually moved to the site.
It was not until 1956 that Hans Haug was able to complete the full museum layout, designed as
a constant series of echoes between the works and their architectural setting.
THE BUILDINGS
The museum is housed in a group of buildings with the Maison de l'Oeuvre Notre Dame at its
centre. Since the 13th century this building housed the institution responsible for the collection
and management of funds for the construction and maintenance of the cathedral. To begin with,
the house took the name of Frauenhaus (house of Our Lady), and for several centuries housed
the Foundation's financial and administrative activities, the "receiver" and the architect and
finally the lodge of the cathedral's masons and stone-cutters.
The two buildings of the Foundation face the Cathedral. The one on the left, with a simple
stepped gable, dates from 1347 and was remodelled mainly in the sixteenth century. That on
the right, its gable richly decorated with scrolls and vases, was built in 1579 to plans by the
architect Hans Thoman Uhlberger in Renaissance style mingled with reminiscences of the late
Gothic period. The two buildings are joined by galleries and served by a superb spiral staircase
due to the same architect. The entire ground floor of the Renaissance building is occupied by
the former meeting room of the cathedral's masons and stonecutters, its walls bearing the
remains of wall paintings attributed to Wendel Dietterlin.
THE COLLECTIONS
Masterpieces of Gothic statuary
The thirteenth-century statuary from Strasbourg Cathedral is among the most prestigious of
museum collections. To preserve them from weather erosion and pollution, these sculptures
were removed from the cathedral in the early 20th century and have since been replaced by
copies.
These masterpieces of Gothic sculpture - The Church, the Synagogue, The Tempter - occupy the
largest room in the museum, housed in the former Hotel du Cerf. The sculptures, mostly taken
from the portals and the rood screen, come from the workshops successively responsible for the
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
construction of the transept and the south portal, the rood screen and finally the nave and west
doors of the cathedral.
Flourishing of the arts in the 15th century
The second floor of the museum, a series of small intimate rooms with added Gothic woodwork,
is entirely devoted to the arts of the 15th century. The exceptional collections bear witness to
the extraordinary artistic flourishing of Strasbourg and the Upper Rhine plain in the late Middle
Ages. Painted altarpieces, wood and stone sculpture, engraving, stained glass, tapestry, goldand silverware, all made substantial advances in Strasbourg and Colmar, Basel and Freiburg.
In all these fields, a few very great artists influenced the development of the arts beyond the
boundaries of the region: the sculptor Nikolaus Gerhaert van Leyden, the Colmar painter and
engraver Martin Schongauer, the Strasbourg Master engraver "E.S." (known only by his initials),
the Basel painter Conrad Witz, the master glassblower Peter Hemmel from Andlau, these are
the names that marked this extraordinarily fertile period.
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
10. Two new rooms for the museum's architectural drawings
In the loft of the Œuvre Notre Dame/Arts of the Middle Ages Museum, extensive work is under
way to create two new rooms devoted to the architectural drawings of the cathedral.
A conservation room of 50 m2 and a 120 m2 educational room are being set up on the 3rd
floor. Work is being carried out in parallel to the re-roofing of the Œuvre Notre Dame buildings.
Further work to be carried out in a large part of the museum between 2015 and 2019 also
includes security and accessibility measures designed for members of the public with
disabilities.
Precious architectural drawings from the Middle Ages
The reserves of the Œuvre Notre Dame Museum, devoted to the Arts of the Middle Ages, contain
a prestigious group of thirty architectural drawings on parchment concerning the building of
Strasbourg Cathedral. They are on loan from the Œuvre Notre Dame Foundation, an institution
responsible since the thirteenth century for administering the construction of the Cathedral,
which has carefully preserved the drawings since the Middle Ages .
The drawings, several of which are between 2.5 and 4 metres high, are among the finest
collections of medieval architectural drawings in Europe. They document precisely the work and
the methods of successive architects of the cathedral.
These priceless works were created using fragile materials and techniques. A specific
conservation room has been provided for the drawings, with suitable conditions of temperature,
relative humidity and lighting. It will reconcile imperatives of conservation and accessibility for
researchers and specialists. It will also be open to the public three hours per week*, on Saturday
2 pm - 5 pm (advance booking is required),to respond to the strong interest in the collection,
both locally and outside regional boundaries.
An introductory space, permanently open to museum visitors, will display facsimile
reproductions of some of the drawings, as well as teaching materials evoking the world of the
cathedral builders and an interactive screen for viewing the entire collection.
The project has been funded for a total of € 100,000 by the Œuvre Notre Dame Foundation with
the participation of the Museums of Strasbourg, support from the Ministry of Culture and
Communication and the patronage of the Society of the Friends of Strasbourg Cathedral.
The opening is scheduled for autumn 2015 as part of the Millennium celebrations of the
foundations of the Cathedral.
* figure based on calculations by specialists of the C2RMF French museums Laboratory
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
11. The Historical Museum and the Cathedral Millenium
Since Hartmann Schedel's Chronicle of 1493, the cathedral spire has been an essential part of
the city skyline and a powerful symbol. To mark the Millennium, the City of Strasbourg Historical
Museum has focused on exhibits linked with the cathedral.
To add to those regularly encountered in a tour of the museum, other models of the cathedral
have been specially brought out from the reserves. A model of the façade in silver, models of
the Cathedral in paper or brass, with or without the optical telegraph, with one spire or two, all
these help to show visitors the importance given to this landmark edifice in the late 18th and
19th centuries.
Goethe's stay in Strasbourg led to the recognition of Gothic art and the rediscovery of the
Cathedral and its presumed architect "Erwin von Steinbach". An imaginary 19th century portrait
of him is on display at the museum.
Dates: 16 October 2015 - 14 February 2016
Getting there: Musée Historique, 2 rue du Vieux-Marché-aux-Poissons, Strasbourg
Model of the cathedral presented to the préfet Laumond
1802. Silver. Strasbourg, Musée Historique, inv. MAD L.85
Photo : Mathieu Bertola
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PRESS KIT « STRASBOURG 1200-1230. THE GOTHIC REVOLUTION »
ŒUVRE NOTRE-DAME MUSEUM – ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES, STRASBOURG, 16 OCTOBER 2015-14 FEBRUARY 2016
12. Visitor Information
Œuvre Notre-Dame Museum – Arts of the Middle Ages
Getting to the Museum
3, place du Château, Strasbourg
tel. +33 (0)3 68 98 51 60
Tram stop Langstross Grand'Rue
Opening Times
Tuesday to Sunday 10 am - 6 pm
The exhibition and the museum are closed on Mondays
Annual closing days: 1 and 11 November, 25 December, 1 January, Good Friday and 1 May
Special time slots are available for group visits organized by the Museum Educational Services,
or accompanied by guides from the Strasbourg Tourist Office.
Reception of Groups
Advance telephone booking is required for groups of more than 10, tel. +33 (0)3 68 98 51 54.
Booking hours – Zone B schools in session: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8.30 am - 12.30
pm and Wednesday 2 pm - 5 pm. Zone B school holidays (days as above): 9 am - 12 noon and 2
pm - 4 pm
Ticket Prices
Standard rate: 6,5 € (reduced: 3,50 €).
Admission free
- visitors under age 18
- carte Culture card holders
- Atout Voir card holders
- Museums Pass Musées card holders
- Édu’Pass card holders
- visitors with disabilities
- students of art, history of art and architecture
- persons seeking employment
- recipients of social assistance
- badge-holding employees of Strasbourg Eurometropolis
Admission free to all visitors
- 1st Sunday in the month
1 day pass: 12 €, reduced 6 € (access to all Strasbourg museums and temporary exhibitions),
3 day pass: 18 €, reduced 12 € (access to all Strasbourg museums and temporary exhibitions),
Museums Pass Musées – 1 year, 300 museums: individual rate 98 €, family rate 177 € (access
to more than 300 museums, castles, stately homes and gardens in France, Switzerland and
Germany).
20
Strasbourg 1200-1230
La révolution gothique
Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame / Arts du Moyen Âge
Du 16 octobre 2015 au 14 février 2016
! ! !
! ! WWW.MUSEES.STRASBOURG.EU
Demande à adresser à :
Service communication
des Musées de la Ville de Strasbourg
Julie Barth
2 place du Château, Strasbourg
julie.barth@strasbourg.eu
Tél. + 33 (0)3 68 98 74 78
1. Christ du tympan du Couronnement de la Vierge (détail),
Strasbourg, cathédrale, portail du bras sud du transept, vers 1220.
Photographie : 1ère moitié du XXe siècle
© DRAC Alsace, Service des Patrimoines
5. Prophète, Nord-ouest de la France, vers 1210,
bronze. Berlin, Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst,
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz.
Photo: A. Voigt, Berlin
2. L’Église. Strasbourg, cathédrale, portail du bras sud du transept, vers 1220,
6. Sainte Marie - Madeleine, Fribourg-en-Brisgau ou Strasbourg, après 1230,
grès. Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame – Arts du Moyen Age.
Photo : M. Bertola
3. La Synagogue. Strasbourg, cathédrale, portail du bras sud du transept, vers 1220,
grès. Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame – Arts du Moyen Age.
Photo : M. Bertola
4. Portails du bras sud du transept de la cathédrale de Strasbourg,
photographie de Sébastien Hausmann, 1896.
Strasbourg, DRAC, Alsace, Service des patrimoines,
ICO 482A01/239. Hausmann
bois, cristal de roche, ancienne polychromie,
Fribourg-en-Brisgau, Stiftungsverwaltung Freiburg,
dépôt à l’Augustinermuseum.
Crédit photographique : © Adelhausenstiftungsverwaltung
7. Pilier des Anges, Strasbourg, cathédrale, bras sud du transept, vers 1225
Photo : Mathieu Bertola, 2015
8. Tête d’apôtre (saint Jean). Strasbourg, cathédrale,
portail du bras sud du transept, vers 1220, grès.
Collection particulière. Photo : M. Bertola
9. Atlante. Strasbourg, cathédrale, vers 1225-1240,
grès. Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame – Arts du Moyen Âge.
Photo : M. Bertola
10. Tympan : le Doute de Thomas, Strasbourg, église Saint-Thomas,
clôture du chœur, Strasbourg, vers 1230,
grès. Strasbourg, église Saint-Thomas.
Photo : Mathieu Bertola
11. Vitrail du Couronnement de la Vierge, Strasbourg, cathédrale,
bouche-trou de la rose de l’ancienne alliance du bras sud du transept
jusqu’en 1939, vers 1160-1180, verre et plomb.
Strasbourg, Musée de l’Œuvre Notre-Dame– Arts du Moyen Âge.
Photo : M. Bertola
12. Tête d’une statue de Moïse, Dijon, église Notre-Dame, vers 1220-1230,
pierre calcaire, traces de polychromie.
Dijon, musée archéologique. Cliché : F. Perrodin.
13. Tête de statue, saint Jean l’Évangéliste (?), collégiale de Semur-en-Auxois (?),
Bourgogne, entre 1193 et 1200, pierre. Semur-en-Auxois, musée municipal.
Photo : M. Bertola
14. La Nativité. Chartres, jubé de la cathédrale, vers 1220,
calcaire, Chartres, cathédrale Notre-Dame.
© Région Centre-Val de Loire, Inventaire général,
photo : Mariusz Harmanowicz; Anna Guillen
15. Hortus deliciarum, planche 1 : consacrée au thème du vêtement, manuscrit original réalisé avant 1195, détruit en 1870.
Copie de Christian Moritz Engelhardt, Strasbourg, 1818,
gravure colorée sur papier.
Strasbourg, Bibliothèque du Grand Séminaire. Photo : M. Bertola
16. Hortus deliciarum, planche 8 : allégorie de la Philosophie et des sept arts
libéraux, manuscrit original réalisé avant 1195, détruit en 1870.
Copie de Christian Moritz Engelhardt, Strasbourg, 1818,
gravure colorée sur papier.
Strasbourg, Bibliothèque du Grand Séminaire. Photo : M. Bertola