St. Peter's Cathedral

Saint-Pierre Cathedral is located in the Écusson, in the heart of the historic district of Montpellier. The Gothic-style building was erected in the middle of the 14th century, became a cathedral in 1536, and was heavily altered during the 19th century. It was classified as a historical monument in 1906.

The Atelier de Ricou was entrusted, after a call for tenders, with the uncovering and restoration of the mural painting of the tympanum - including the arch - of the Chapelle Deydé (now the Chapelle Saint-Roch), the existence of which was revealed during electrical work in 2017.

The decoration dates from the 17th century. Attributed to Jean de Troyes, it represents allegories of faith on either side of a cartouche bearing the Tetragrammaton in front of a trompe l'oeil architecture. It was commissioned by Jean Deydé (1617-1687), a councillor at the Court of Auditors, Aid and Finance, who wished to inscribe his family in eternity by adorning the chapel with exceptional finery: polychrome marble, paintings and sculptures by the best artists of his time.

The ensemble, which has been dismantled for 250 years, has been the subject of an exhibition in parallel with our restoration, at the Fabre Museum in Montpellier: "De Marbre Blanc et de Couleur - La Chapelle Deydé de la Cathédrale de Montpellier", from 16 November 2019 to 15 March 2020.

For more information:

- – Musée Fabre website and Catalogue of the exhibitionIn the chapter on the decoration that we have restored: "The appearance of a mural decoration on the extrados of the entrance arch of the Deydé Chapel", Hélène Palouzié, Deputy Regional Conservator of Historic Monuments for the Montpellier site - DRAC Occitanie, to read here

- The Deydé Chapel: discovery and restoration of an exceptional painting", film directed by Jean-Noël Duval - Shifts & Decibelsto be seen here