L’illustration du livre du chapitre de Solignac, c. 1151-1157, un exemple unique dans la France méridionale

Abstract

The illustration of the Chapter Book of Solignac, c. 1151-1157, an example in southern France The “Chapter Book”, used in the monasteries and canonical chapters for the celebration of the office of Prime, was widespread throughout the whole western Church. It is nevertheless one of the very rare liturgical books which, with a few exceptions, does not have even a minimum of decoration. For the whole collection of books preserved in France (around 235), only half a dozen offer any element of decoration, and in southern France (in the wider sense of the term, that of the areas of Languedoc), only one manuscript offers any decoration of any importance, that of the abbey of Saint Pierre de Solignac, in the diocese of Limoges (BnF, n.a.l. 214). Two of the four texts which make up this manuscript, the martyrology and Rule of Saint Benedict, written between 1151 and 1157, are highly decorated, while the lectionary and the necrology, the latter redone towards 1273, are very plain. In the martyrology, the first day of the month is accompanied by a vignette featuring for the first part the work of the month, in imitation of calendars, f. 110 is entirely taken up by a Christ in Majesty, while the Rule, on the other hand, only has four vignettes, the initials of chapter I (Saint Benedict), XXXI (the cellarer), LIII (a guest) and LXV (the Provost). We know that this chapter book was given to the abbey by the monk Bozon d’Eschizadour, but we know the names of neither its copyist nor the illuminator. The book was probably produced in a workshop in Limoges.