Hidden Medieval Wall Paintings Digitally Restored in France

Medieval wall paintings, hidden for over 500 years in Angers Cathedral, France, have been digitally restored, reports the Hamilton Kerr Institute Bulletin. Dating back to the late 13th century, the paintings were whitewashed after a 15th-century fire and later concealed behind woodwork by 1786, preserving them from the French Revolution’s iconoclasts. Rediscovered in 1980 by a priest using the space for storage, the artwork had only been partially documented in black-and-white photos before their recent restoration.

The vibrant paintings in Angers Cathedral depict the life and miracles of Saint Maurille, a fifth-century bishop. Legend tells how he fled to England after failing to raise a child from the dead, only to return later when he learned the child was alive. The paintings, hidden behind wall panelling in the choir loft, took over a decade to digitally capture using over 8,000 photos.

Believed to have been commissioned by Isabella la Blanche, sister of Henry III of England, or her son Maurice, the artworks were likely created by two groups of painters using oil. The team notes similarities between a portrait of a young king in the paintings and Henry III’s tomb sculpture in Westminster Abbey, suggesting shared artistic influences between the English and French courts.

Source: ArtNews