Réévaluation de la chronologie relative de la statuaire mariale des Pyrénées-Orientales (France). Etudes technique et stylistique des Vierges à l'Enfant romanes et gothiques.

Abstract

For many years, the Virgin sculpture in the Pyrénées-Orientales region has been studied according to a historiography more descriptive than analytic. The majority of publications focus on the sculptures as icons and on their appropriation. The designation of some Virgins as "masterpieces" has meant that others have been overlooked. The main published Virgins are those which are characteristic of the romanesque art or those which belong to what Mathias Delcor describes as "romanesque tradition" even though they all have the characteristics of gothic art.

Given the stylistic and technical failings, the thesis proposes to use the expertise of laboratory testing methods to contribute to the understanding of woodworking technique of Virgin and Child in the region and to rethink the technic and stylistic analysis of the whole corpus using recent methodologies. The analysis of various wood extracts have also made it possible to explore new avenues of research concerning the impact of forest management on the use of woods. The complementary nature of both approaches should enable a re-evaluation of the relative chronology ; it must be noted however that the continuity of the woodworking techniques and the lack of material evidence in the laboratory force finaly the art historian to use mostly stylistic analysis.

Date of Award	17 Dec 2014
Original language	French
Awarding Institution	University of Namur
Supervisor	Michel Lefftz (Supervisor), Mathieu Piavaux (President), Nadia Bertoni (Jury), Jean-René Gaborit (Jury), Emmanuelle Mercier (Jury) & Marc Sureda I Jubany (Jury)