Grand séminaire of Besançon: call for fundraising and vote

All the versions of this article: English , français

5/3/23 - Fundraising - Besançon, Grand séminaire - A major restoration is always a failure. It means that the monument has not been maintained when it should have been, that is to say regularly. And when you see the state of the "pavillon de musique" of the Grand séminaire of Besançon, which has belonged to the diocese since 1940, it is obvious. How could a listed monument be allowed to deteriorate to such an extent? Covered with a tarpaulin since 2009 (ill. 1), its interior stucco heavily degraded (ill. 2), it will be necessary to spend 785 400 € in all to restore it to its former splendour.


1. Pavillon de musique of the Michotey hotel in Besançon (current state)
Photo: Didier Rykner
See the image in its page
2. Pavillon de musique of the Michotey hotel in Besançon (current state)
Photo: Didier Rykner
See the image in its page

3. A part of the garden (or what is left of it) of the hotel
in the background (the pavillon de musique is behind us)
Photo: Didier Rykner
See the image in its page

This restoration, fortunately, will be entitled to the help of the Fondation du Patrimoine with a fundraising which has already collected 56 530 € out of a target of 80 000. It is also the project selected for the Doubs department by the Mission Bern, which should provide a further €300 000. The total amount will be completed thanks to the participation of the State.

The "pavillon de musique" is an ornamental pavilion which was located at the bottom of the garden of the Michotey Hotel in Besançon, built in the 18th century. Urbanisation has largely damaged these premises, and the garden has been greately amputated (ill. 3). It should be noted that this private mansion, whose facade overlooks the rue Mégevand, is part of the site patrimonial remarquable of the old town centre but does not benefit from any protection of its own.

It was during a day spent in Besançon to visit the exhibition "Le Beau Siècle", which we warmly recommend (see article), that we were able to discover the major seminary, which is also the subject of an appeal for a vote for the restoration of an 18th century painting kept in the chapel, via the Fondation pour la Sauvegarde de l’art français and its operation, which we have already had occasion to talk about: Le plus grand Musée de France (The Greatest Museum in France).
Fortunately, the chapel is not in the same state as the music pavilion. Built in 1670, it still has a grand maître-autel dating from the 17th century, even if it has undergone later additions. There are also beautiful stained glass windows by Félix Gaudin, dating from 1894, with an original iconographic programme, illustrating the stages of the formation of young seminarians.
Joseph Aubert - author of the decoration of Notre-Dame-des-Champs in Paris (see brief of 31/10/20) - painted the canvas of the altarpiece, representing the Presentation of the Virgin, and the two large paintings found at the ends of the transept arms, The Mission of the Apostles and The Last Supper.


4. France or rather Italy, 18th century
Nativity
Oil on canvas
Besançon, chapel of the Grand Séminaire
Photo: Didier Rykner
See the image in its page

It is in the first chapel on the left that the painting (ill. 4) concerned by the vote that will decide - or not - the allocation of €8 000 by the Allianz company is located. It is a Nativity which, according to the information sheet published on the Sauvegarde’s website, is an 18th century copy after Rubens, which seems particularly questionable. While this work is certainly from the period indicated, it seems to have little to do, in any way, with Rubens. It is, in any case, of very good quality and deserves to be better studied.
We always find it regrettable to pit one work against another: all deserve to be saved. What makes this operation acceptable is that none of the three entries for the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region is in a sufficiently worrying state to threaten its survival. The other two are a 19th century copy of Raphael’s Predication of St. Paul at Athens and an organ dating from 1862 which is currently mute. So you can vote for either one without remorse.

Your comments

In order to be able to discuss articles and read the contributions of other subscribers, you must subscribe to The Art Tribune. The advantages and conditions of this subscription, which will also allow you to support The Art Tribune, are described on the subscription page.

If you are already a subscriber, sign in.