Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: psaltery

Not much is known about the history of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption, an outstanding example of the specific "style saintongeais". As the structure is so masterly built and has such sophisticated carvings, it is believed, that this was a priory church, when it was built mid of the 12th century. The apse of Notre-Dame de l’Assomption has an enormous richness on Romanesque carvings. Some corbels depict musicians and acrobats. Here is the collegue of the "violinist" (previous upload). He plays the harp or psaltery.

A small, Romanesque church, erected in the 12th century, got too small during the time of the Renaissance. It had a wonderful carved facade - and got saved! A second nave was built beside it - and the new facade was constructed "around" the old one, so both styles now are under joined one gable. The church got renovated in the 1990s. Following the "style saintonge", there are three arches on the ground and second tier of five arches. Above these are eleven carved corbels (some of them seem new), supporting a small roof. One of these corbels has this old, weathered musician, playing a harp or psaltery.

Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, just 7kms east of Castelviel, is a bastide, founded in 1281 Edward I of England (aka "Edward Longshanks"), who ,as a vasall of the French king, was Duke of Aquitaine. Though the wall around the bastide was demolished in the 19th century, to give room for urban development, four of the old gates still exist. The hamlet of Le Puch, just north of Sauveterre-de-Guyenne, has this church, dedicated to Saint Christopher in the center of its cemetery. It dates back to the 11th century. Though it got altered and restored many times. The 12th-century-portal has a row of seven corbels. On the right hand side is this complex corbel. Three persons are to be seen. A musician with a large harp or psaltery to he right. Two acrobats to the left. One contortionist is seen performing (feet on his head), while the other one pulls his long beard.

This church, in the center of an old graveyard, dates back to the 12th century. The apse is dated ca. 1130. The portal, seen here was created 1150/1160. The church got modified a couple of times over the century - and restored within the 19th century. Léo Drouyn, regional artist, collegue of Viollet-le-Duc and rediscoverer of the Romanesque art, described these arches as the "most beautiful pieces of Romanesque sculpture within the department". Two structures have surely influenced the masters, working in Castelviel. These are the former abbeys "Saint-Maurice de Blasimon" and "La Sauve-Majeure", both not far away. This portal is carved in a typical style, found in the Gironde, the Saintonge, the Charente and the Poitou, carved from a soft, white (unfortunately weathering) stone. There is no tympanum, but many archivolts and capitals. Here is a trio. The left musician holds a vielle, the right one plays a harp or a psaltery. The female person (note the sleeves) is probably a dancer, doing a Mick-Jagger-pose.