The chapel of the Black Penitents, a nugget to discover in the heart of the bastide town of Villefranche de Rouergue. Let yourself be told the story of this exceptional monument.
A classic style exterior
The façade is classical in style , rather rigid, with semicircular arches, rectilinear pilasters, and a tympanum in the shape of an omega. This is a revival of motifs from Antiquity, as Vitruvius emphasized in most of his treatises. Here, the last letter of the Greek alphabet symbolizes the encounter between finite man and the infinite god, linked to spirituality and the activities of the confraternity. The balustrade was added only a few decades later, as was the double bell tower, which appears to lean in different directions depending on the season. The floor plan corresponds to a Greek cross, modeled on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Saint Jerome Chapel of the Blue Penitents in Toulouse . The chancel is intentionally oriented to the west so that the chapel doors could be opened to awe, encouraging more people to join the confraternity.
Inside: an exceptional decor
The vault
Created at the end of the 17th century and completed in 1701 by the local workshop of Mathieu and Pierre Guy , the vault is composed of the old planks that made up the parquet floor of the refectory of Loc-Dieu Abbey . It now displays a rich iconography recounting the history of the cult of the cross. In addition to the flock of cherubs radiating around the labarum, one can distinguish Constantine I, the first Christian emperor; Louis XIV, King of France and revocation of the Edict of Nantes; Saint Helena, discoverer of the first fragments of the crucifix; Saint Francis de Sales, one of the principal figures of the Catholic Counter-Reformation; and the four Evangelists with their attributes: Saint Luke and the bull, Saint Mark and the lion, Saint Matthew and the angel, and Saint John and the eagle. Treated in a naive and rustic style, they take their place amidst garlands of flowers, vegetal arabesques and silk ribbons, typical of Baroque ornamentation.
The altarpiece
Likely the work of a workshop with Hispanic influences, the altarpiece was created between 1709 and 1725. Made entirely of wood enhanced with colors and gold leaf, it is organized on two superimposed planes. The first level refers to the earthly life of Christ, while the second evokes the celestial realm. First, surrounding the Crucifixion , four panels illustrate the Arrest of Jesus on the Mount of Olives, the Flagellation , the Ecce Homo , and the Carrying of the Cross . Above the coffered, star-studded vault, the resurrected Christ emerges from his tomb during his Ascension. He is welcomed into heaven by God the Father and the dove of the Holy Spirit, representing the Trinity. Although the presence of the four evangelists is also found, composite capitals adorned with acanthus leaves and birds, flower pots and fire pots, cut leathers and twisted and fluted columns complete the decoration.
The paintings
Inserted in the 1760s in place of original bays, the six large paintings are the work of the Toulouse painter Charles Dujon . Executed from copies of works by Jean-Baptiste Jouvenet, Carl von Loo, and Boulogne le Jeune, they highlight key episodes of Catholic dogma. The Annunciation faces the Presentation in the Temple , the Crucifixion faces the Deposition , and the Nativity faces the Marriage of Mary and Joseph . Framed by plasterwork composed of egg-and-dart motifs and heart-shaped patterns, they are surmounted by gilt decorations depicting processional staffs, chalices, monstrances, musical instruments, wheat, and vines. They are separated by pilasters covered in faux marble, beneath which the original 17th-century decoration has been preserved on some of them.
