Domme Off The Beaten Path

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The town of Cenac-et-St.-Julien (pop. 900) sits at the base of the cliff that holds Domme above. It is 11 km from Sarlat. It has a Romanesque church of 1130 which was mostly destroyed in the Wars of Religion by Geoffrey de Vevans, the local Protestant leader(the same men who destroyed the church above in Domme). The fine chevet was left and the rest of the church restored in the 20C. The chevet was decorated originally by stone carvers (from Moissac) who were the third or fourth generation of artisans, The sculpture here is contemporary with Vezelay and Autun but not under the guidance of great masters like Gislebertus. These workers created the modillions and foliage capitals on the outside (and those we illustrate at Carsac-OTBP under Sarlat). What is most delightful here are the historiated capitals inside the chevet. The figures are still ill-proportioned but the activity is vigorous and there is planning of distribution of masses in a naive manner. The finish is crisp and there is emphasis as usual on Evil and wild beasts real and imagined. We think we recognize a Daniel and a Samson and a wild scene on the sin of dancing (like at Vezelay) but you must see and decide for yourself.