Collegial Notre-Dame of Melun

Collegial Notre-Dame of Melun: street of Courtille, Melun. Out of stone. Founded between 1016 and 1031 by Robert II the piles. In 1031, the nave, the sides, the transept and the base of the bell-towers, still visible are built today, already. Twelve canons are installed there. The vaults built on the low sides are destroyed in 1773. The canons are dispersed with the Révolution. The Church is closed in 1844, and is restored thanks to the collected funds of 1851 with 1862 by a lottery. The roof and most of the stained glasses are destroyed during the bombardments of the Second world war. The bell-towers date from the 11th century, and are restored between 1515 and 1524 (the salamander of François Ier is the sign). The central gate is remade at the 16th century on the initiative of François Ier; its casements, dating from the 16th century, comprise four medallions representing of the human figures with medieval bonnets on the head. A bearded monk, requesting, is represented at the top of the central amount. The casements of the side doors date from the 18th century, and comprise the same figurations. The nave measures 32 meters. Square and stripped pillars, few openings. The flat ceiling was out of wood in the beginning. Then it was rebuilt out of stone, and the columns joined with the pillars of Romance style were added to support ribbed vaults. The platform comprises an organ manufactured in 1855 for the professional singer Pauline Viardot, sister of the Malibran; Pauline Viardot gives it in 1885 to the priest of the church. The chorus, dish with its construction, is transformed into a chorus of primitive Gothic kind. The stained glasses destroyed during the Second world war are remade in 1955 by Calixte Poupart, with for central theme the Virgin Mary, Saint Aspais and Saint Liesne.

The diptych of Melun

The chorus of the building accommodated until worms 1775 celebrates it Diptyque of Melun, carried out by Jean Fouquet towards 1450 on order of Etienne Chevalier, Trésorier of the king Charles VII of France and originating in Melun. This diptych was composed of two panels: one representing a Virgin in the child surrounded by angels and the other Etienne Knight himself at the side of Etienne saint, his patron saint. One thinks that the virgin borrows the features of Agnès Sorel, mistress of the king, near of Etienne Chevalier and deceased little time before the ordering of the table. After their departure of Melun, the panels are separate. The first is currently preserved at the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten of Antwerp and the second with the Staatliche Museen of Berlin.

External resources

Card on the Mérimée Basis of the Ministry for the Culture
Card on the site Structurae.de

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