About

The cloister of the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux housed a unique collection of finely crafted column-statues depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. Erected around 1170–1180, these sculptures served the canons as aids for contemplation and instruction. Although emblematic of the early Gothic style, this artistic trend was short-lived and soon abandoned in the wake of subsequent liturgical reforms.

The capital of Saint Margaret offers a depiction of the life of the Saint and her deeds. The study of the martyrs of saints holds an important place in Christian liturgy, even though they are absent from the Bible. Their passion and sacrifice serve as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice and provide lessons in virtue for the faithful. The veneration of saints would later become a major source of division during the Protestant Reformation, which advocated a strict return to the scriptures.

The scenes depicted on this capital are as follows: the torture of Saint Margaret by metal claws scratching her skin, Saint Margaret emerging from the dragon that had swallowed her, Saint Margaret casting a demon into a well, and the decapitation of Saint Margaret. The martyrs shown are well-known and inseparable from the Saint: the miracle of the dragon has also made her the protector of pregnant women and those in labor. However, the scene of the demon in the well is very rare in this iconography, possibly unique to the cloister of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux.

Olibrius, king of Antioch and the one who ordered her torment, is also depicted in the cloister. Did they originally form a single cohesive ensemble? No formal evidence confirms this at present.

Historical Background

Severely lacking funds for the upkeep of their cloister in the 18th century, the monks proceeded with the demolition of the cloister between 1759 and 1766. The cloister was destroyed, and the grounds were rebuilt using the debris for the foundations. The cloister and its sculptures would fall into obscurity for two centuries, escaping the destruction of the Revolutionary period. Rediscovered in fragments during excavations by Léon Pressouyre between 1963 and 1976, it was reassembled and supplemented with plaster reinforcements.

State of Preservation

The capital is highly fragmented, with many parts missing. The majority of the heads, as well as the bodies of the executioners and the demon, are now lost.