The Architecture of Provence and the Riviera

by David MacGibbon

On the south side of the town a bas-relief of three large figures and part of a Latin inscription, carved to a great scale on the face of the rock, have given rise to some extraordinary theories. The figures are called Les Trois Maries or Tremaié. Many observers regard them as Roman, and suppose that they represent Marius (the conqueror of this district, about 100 B.C.), his wife Julia, and a Syrian prophetess or sorceress called Martha, who accompanied the great leader and foretold his victories. But M. Lenthéric, in his interesting work on the Villes Mortes de la Méditerranée, already referred to, takes an entirely different view. He contends that these figures represent Lazarus and the two Marys; and considers the existence of the church dedicated to the “Saintes Maries” (which we shall reach by and bye), together with the above figures and inscription, and the traditions of the country, sufficient proof that the family of Lazarus and their companions were really the first missionaries of Christianity in Southern Gaul.

There is another large inscription and two more figures on another rock, but they are too much decayed to be accurately interpreted.

There seems to be no doubt that a town has existed here from the time of the Romans, although no Roman architecture can now be detected. In mediæval times it was the home of the famous family of Les Baux, whose history (written by Jules Canonge) comprises much of that of Provence from the tenth to the fifteenth century.

In the tenth century Les Baux was already one of the largest towns of the country, and was for long the seat of a famous Court of Love. In the thirteenth century the “Seigneurs des Baux” possessed seventy-nine free burghs. They were amongst the most powerful and boldest barons of the land, and acquired great titles and possessions, being in turn the Princes of Orange, the Counts of Provence, Kings of Arles and Vienne, and Emperors of Constantinople. They commanded fleets and armies, and became podestàs of the free towns. They also distinguished themselves as Crusaders, and joined Charles of Anjou in his conquest of Naples. In following the history of this distinguished race one gets a more lively and impressive idea of the life and manners of those stirring mediæval times in Provence than can easily be found elsewhere.

But the family lost their prestige when Barral des Baux, podestà of the free town of Arles, betrayed the republic to Charles of Anjou. Les Baux from this time declined, and the castle was finally dismantled by the Duke of Guise; the town was abandoned and the fine mansions fell into decay, a process which is still in progress, both by the action of nature and at the hands of the peasantry of the neighbourhood. Les Baux may be got at either from Fontvieille (famous for its quarries of “Arles stone”), to which there is a railway from Arles, or from Tarascon, in either case driving to Paradou (six kilometres from Fontvieille, and sixteen from Tarascon), or from St Remy.

FIG. 73. CHURCH OF ST GABRIEL. West Front. (From Révoil.)

A few miles from Tarascon, on the road to Arles, the ancient church of St Gabriel rises amidst the ruins of the still more ancient Roman city of Ernaginum. A large number of tombs, similar to those we shall presently meet with at the Alyscamps near Arles, but of the plainest form, are here found along with fragments of inscriptions, statues, and other antique relics. The church of St Gabriel, like so many others in Provence, comprises in its design a mixture of classic and Romanesque features. The west front ([Fig. 73]) is one of the finest of its kind. The entrance doorway, with its fluted column, its imitated Corinthian capitals, and high pitched pediment full of classic enrichments, might easily pass for a structure of the Lower Empire. The bas-reliefs represent the creation and the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin,—the personages being identified by their names inscribed beside them. The upper part of the front exhibits a great archivolt springing from imposts on each side of the portal, above which is a straight cornice supporting a second pointed archivolt. The latter contains a small circular window richly ornamented with classic leaves and other enrichments, and having the symbols of the four evangelists placed around it. The church has a single nave, covered with a pointed tunnel vault. The buttresses are more pronounced than usual, which may indicate a transition towards the later Provençal style, and seem to point to the date of the building being late in the twelfth century, notwithstanding its very classic features.

A short journey now brings us to Arles, the ancient capital of the province, and one of the chief architectural centres of our district, both as regards classic and mediæval art.