Toulouse 1300–1400: The Emergence of Southern Gothic

The first half of the 14th century was a time of economic prosperity for the city of Toulouse – and a momentous period for the arts. This exhibition at the Musée de Cluny in Paris (18 October–22 January 2023) explores the emergence in the city of the style known as Southern Gothic – a form which, in architecture, drew from military tradition for the design of churches, reflecting the attempt of the Catholic Church to re-establish spiritual authority after the fall of the Cathars. Highlights of the exhibition include rarely shown sculptures from the Rieux Chapel depicting Saint Paul, Saint Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan monk Jean Tissendier, considered among the finest examples of the polychrome sculpture from the period. The show also includes ceramics, illuminated manuscripts, gold and silverware. Find out more on the Musée de Cluny’s website.

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Jean Tissendier en donateur (1333–34), Master of Rieux. Musée des Augustins. © Mairie de Toulouse, Musée des Augustins/Daniel Martin

Page from a 13th-century edition of Barthélemy l’Anglais’s Livres des propriétés des choses  (13th century). Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève. © IRHT-CNRS