The Master of the Beasts

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. There is a surprisingly high number of animals here. They populate the capitals in Saint-Trojan. Most can be seen with their masters. Here even two masters can be seen with their beasts. During medieval times, long before Leo Gerstenzang invented the cotton swab ("Q-Tips") in the 1920s, trained birds were often used for cleaning the masters´ ears.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. There is a surprisingly high number of animals here. They populate the capitals in Saint-Trojan. Most can be seen with their masters, like these giant birds. While the tiny "Master of Beasts" holds their necks some monsters on the corners chew the birds´ tail feathers.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. There is a surprisingly high number of animals here. They populate the capitals in Saint-Trojan. Most can be seen with their masters, like this "Master of Beasts" and his cuddle lions.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. There is a surprisingly high number of animals here. They populate the capitals in Saint-Trojan. Most can be seen with their masters, like this "Master of Beasts" taming his one-head-lions.

Parish church Saint Saturnin, in the village of Mosnac (aka "Mosnac sur Seugne"), dates back to the 12th century. The old single nave church, got enlarged by an aisle in the 15th century. Even from the gallery, the colours of the capitals seem "screaming". I took this photo from up there - it is blurry - I was so surprised and shaken as I saw a "Master of the Beasts" with smiling zebras. Some ungifted artist, with strange ideas, was given the opportunity to paint the carvings - and he grabbed it. Maybe this is a kind of "art brut"..

Colombiers is a small village (pop. 300) in the former marshes of the Seugne river. Life must be hard here in medieval times. Saint-Maclou, the village´s parish church, was erected in the 12th century. It was the church of a priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbaye Saint-Sauveur in Charroux. The church got altered and modified during the Gothic period (15th.), when it lost its once Romanesque portal. Single nave churches, like Saint-Maclou, are typical for the villages of the Saintonge. They may not look spectacular on the first sight. But here in Colombiers are some extraordenary carvings. I have visited this church on two occassions, but unfortunately even a second visit with some better light, did not result in good photos. Sorry! Most of the frieze-like capitals are similar to the carvings in Marinac. The style differs, but the "story" is the same. In an impenetrable djungle of entwining vines humans fight creatures, lurking through the foliage. Here may be two "Master of the Beasts". Birds left, lions right..

Colombiers is a small village (pop. 300) in the former marshes of the Seugne river. Life must be hard here in medieval times. Saint-Maclou, the village´s parish church, was erected in the 12th century. It was the church of a priory, dependent from the Benedictian Abbaye Saint-Sauveur in Charroux. The church got altered and modified during the Gothic period (15th.), when it lost its once Romanesque portal. Single nave churches, like Saint-Maclou, are typical for the villages of the Saintonge. They may not look spectacular on the first sight. But here in Colombiers are some extraordenary carvings. Different masters or workshops have been here during the 12th century. The style of this capital, near the main entrance seems a little rough. A poor soul is torn into pieces by two evil creatures, For a while, I had the impression, that he could be a "Master of Beasts", but I can see, that the claws of the beasts already ripped the skin of his arms.

Only about 6kms north of the wonderful Romanesque church in Rioux (see previuos uploads) is Saint-Trojan in the center of Rétaud. Both churches seem to be closely related in many ways. They shared a very similar floorplan, when they were erected end of the 12th century. It looks like only one workshop worked in both villages. Just like in Rioux there is not much known, about the history of the building, that as well may have served as a priory church. The apse looks pretty much like the apse in Rioux, and some of the icons from the corbels in Rioux can be found here as well. Is the lion devouring the two girls? Having seen the many "Masters of Beasts" inside the church, I rather see two small ladies - and one lion. They even dare to put their hands into the lion´s mouth.

Erected within the 12th century the parish church Saint-Martin got severely damaged and partly destroyed during many feuds and wars fought in the Saintonge. The church got fortified, repaired and rebuilt, so it is no wonder, that by now this is a mixture between "saintongeais" Romanesque style and late Gothic style. The whole apse (not visible from this pov) is Gothic - and somehow out of proportion. In the 1970s a small crypt was discovered, cut into the stone below the choir. Some see this "cave" as a celtic "panic room", later used as an ossuary - and forgotten. Like most carvings here, this capital is damaged too. A "Master of Beasts", who once had grabbed his two lions by the tongues. Now there is only one lion left.

Where the parish church of Thaims is now, was a Roman villa during earlier times. A part of the Roman ruin got integrated into an early merovingian church, of which again parts were "reused", when this church was erected within the 11th century. It got altered a couple of times. The carvings found in "Saint-Pierre" differ clearly in style. Some of them may date back to the merovingian structure, some of them are late Romanesque and may been added within the 13th century. Compared to the (merovingian) carvings on the previous uploads, this one is clearly Romanesque. There are two different "Master of Beasts" in the capitals in Thaims. This master is bearded!

Monks, lay brothers and workers from the Benedictian Abbaye royale of Saint-Jean-d'Angély (20kms northwest), started to build this church end of the 11th century. The Benedictian abbey, part of the cluniac network, had been founded by Louis the Pious´ son Pepin I of Aquitaine in the 9th century. Given up during the Viking raids, the abbey grew rich, famous and important, when the Via Turonensis developed. Thousends of pilgrims followed that way and as a relic of John the Baptist was kept in the abbey, this was a major halt on the "chemin". The abbey sponsored the building of dozends of churches in the Poitou. The church was dedicated to Saint-Hérie (aka "Saint Arediu", "Arède d'Atane"). The village around the church was consequently named "Saint-Herie" before it got merged into the small town of Matha. During the 100 Years´War, the area changed hands a couple of times, before the "Battle of Taillebourg" 1242 (30kms west) ended the "Saintonge-War". The Wars of Religion were even worse for Saint-Hérie. Only the facade and the southern wall of the nave survived the fury. Matha was a stronghold of the Huguenots, who were evicted and exiled after the "Edict of Nantes" got revoked in 1685. Following that all protestant churches existing in the town got leveled to the ground. Many small details of the facade may be reconstructed after the mutilation, but the portal is beautiful. There are some nice, but strange capitals. A serious looking man may be a "Master of Beasts", holding up two snakes with crocodile heads. He is doing the splits, what normally is performed by contortionists. So he may be an artist, maybe a ventriloquist, holding up his two puppets, changing his voice... Or - more horrible - the person has no feet! He shows, that instead of feet he has crocodile heads. There is a very small leg visible under his left sleeve. A nighmare!

Gensac-la-Pallue is a small town, about 10kms southeast of Cognac, with a population of 1500. Saint Martin is the large parish church of the town. It is not known, who financed this church, when it was erected within the 12th century (the choir and tower were added a century later) and there are no obvious connections to one of the important abbeys of the area, but for a parish church, built on swampy grounds, this is a pretty prestigious structure. Saint-Martin has a western facade, that is extraordenary, as not many churches in the Poitou have three horizontal registers/levels. There is a long frieze-like band extending all over the facade. This frieze is pretty weathered in parts after 800 years, but other more sheltered stretches seem untouched by the centuries. This person (what a moustache!), a "Master of Beasts", can often be found in and around Romanesque churches. I have no idea, what this icon stands for. It seems, like he is strangling the birds, but they may tell him secrets.

Maillezais, a small town with a population of less than 1000, is known for it´s old monastery, founded in the very swampy "Marais Poitevin" in 989. It developed well, when the land around got reclaimed. Later even was a bishop´s see was here. Only some ruins are left of the former Gothic cathedral, as it was burned down by Huguenots during the Wars of Religion and sold as a quarry to local entrepreneurs after the French Revolution. Saint Nicolas, the parish church had a better fate, though vandalized and severely damaged during the Wars of Religion as well, it did not get ruined like the cathedral. The western facade is built in the "style saintonge" with the flanking blind arches. There are nice capitals at the facade. The "Master off Beasts" is well dressed - and seems to be a bit chicken-hearted, but he is not. The lions display their teeth and are frightening, but the master firmly holds their paws with his hands.

The collegiate church Saint-Pierre (aka "St-Pierre-aux-Liens") dates back to the 12th century, though many alterations and the fortification seen here, were done later. A church and convent that existed here, got looted and burnt down by the Normans in 866. It was named "Scotorum", so it may be have been founded by Scottish/Irish monks. Around 980 a collegiate was founded here, dedicated to Saint Peter. Under the first monks were Israël and his disciple Theobald, who later became the patron saints of Le Dorat. The church of the collegiate was set on fire by local villagers during a regional war in 1013 and burnt down. The newly built church got consecrated in 1063 - and burnt down in 1080. Soon after this a crypt was built, but the erection of the church above the crypt did not start before 1112. When in 1130, the choir and the radial chapels were completed, the relics of Saint Israël and Saint Theobald were "translated" into the church, what attracted obviously lots of pilgrims following the Via Lemovicensis to a little detour. In the following centuries Le Dorat was threatened by and involved into many wars and feuds and so town and church got heavily fortified. That did not help, when in 1567 a Huguenot-armee of 15.000 troops conquered the place, killed about 400 inhabitants and looted town and convent. All buildings of the collegiate got lost after the French Revolution, only the really large church (74,70 m long) survived the times and now serves as a parish church. Daniel in the Lions´ Den is a real "Master of Beasts".

The facade and the nave of Saint-Sauveur in Bignay are dated back to the 12th century. The steeple was added centuries later. Under the roof of the nave are some weathered corbels. Here is person holding two birds. This icon can often be found. It may be a "Master of Beasts".

A priory, dependent from the Abbaye Royale in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, existed here in the 12th century, the church Saint-Germain was erected end of that century. The church is known for the southern portal, which is a Romanesque masterpiece. Compared to the complex archivolts outside (see previous uploads) the capitals of the nave are crude. Here is a Master of Beasts. The design is not symmetric, like most "MoBs" are. Here the person (wearing a strange with very long sleeves) is in the center of mythical animals.

The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" was built in the second half of the 12th century. From the little hill, the shoreline can be seen. The "Camino del Norte" (aka "Camino de la Costa"), the oldest known "camino" to Santiago de Compostela run along the northern coast, as moorish troops roamed the inland. Even in the 12th century, when this church was erected, this way was popular as the pilgrims could visit the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana. As the largest part of the "True Cross" (aka "Lignum Crucis") was venerated in that monastery, it had the privilege of perpetual indulgences. The "Iglesia de Santa Maria" is known for some extraordinary Romanesque carvings. A real "Master of Beasts" holding two bulls. The left beast is damaged, but the right bull, with a nose ring and giant horns, is in great condition.

Pavia once was the last stronghold of the Ostrogoths, but was conquered by the Lombards (aka Longobards) after a three-years-siege in 572. From the 7th century on Pavia was the capital of the Lombard kingdom. A chapel, dedicated to Saint Michel, existed here as part of the palace, when the Lombards ruled from here. When Frankish troops invaded Northern Italy and defeated the Lombard armee in 773, Charlemagne laid siege to Pavia. After taking the fortified town, Charlemagne crowned himself King of the Lombards. The former palace-chapel burnt down in 1005, about a century after the Hungarians (= "Magyars") had looted Pavia. The church seen here was begun in the 11th century and was completed by 1155. In 900 the chapel had seen the coronation of Louis III (aka "Louis the Blind", as he was blinded in 905 by Berengar). In the current church Frederick I (aka "Frederick Barbarossa") received the Iron Crown and the title of King of Italy. Here is one of the capitals seen from the nave. Maybe a "Master of Beasts", but for me it looks like a "Mistress of Beasts". www.sanmichelepavia.it/html/en_home.html