Le sacrifice eucharistique dans la chapelle de la Bâtie d'Urfé

Abstract

Eucharistic sacrifice in the chapel of the Bâtie d'Urfé The chapel of the Bâtie d'Urfé, located near Saint-Étienne, was built between 1547 and 1550 by Claude d'Urfé, Francis I's ambassador to the Council of Trent. Its iconographie program, focused on the Eucharistic sacrifice, draws the viewer into the heart of the religious, artistic and philosophical issues of the first half of the 16th century. The painting cycle by Girolamo Siciolante and woodworks by Fra Damiano da Bergamo, as well as works in other media (low-relief, ceramic, stucco), evoke the debates on the Eucharist held at the Council of Trent, whose richness and complexity are embodied in the association of word and image. The chapel constitutes an example of the use of Hebrew letters, extremely rare at the time in this kind of large-scale decoration, denoting a genuine commitment to exegesis and erudition. Departing from traditional typological models, the chapel creates a new system in which episodes from the Old Testament are given greater prominence. The quality of execution in the decoration and the originality of its iconographical program make this chapel a model of Italian mannerism in France and exemplify a key moment in religious history.