Illuminated treasures of the Orne abbeys in the time of William

Manuscripts from the abbeys of St-Évroult-d’Ouche and St-Martin-de-Sées

The exhibition highlights the activity of Norman scriptoria in the 11th and 12th centuries, during the time of William the Conqueror.

The writing workshops of the abbey of Saint-Évroult-d’Ouche and the abbey of Saint-Martin-de-Sées are among the major centers of manuscript production of this period.

The Aveline media library in Alençon preserves several manuscripts from these two sites.

As an exceptional feature, around twenty manuscripts from the collections of the media library and the diocesan archives of Séez are presented together. The exhibition reveals the richness of their illuminations: ornate letters, colored initials, and decorations with harmonious and symbolic motifs.

The presentation also offers an exploration of book-making in the Middle Ages: materials, scripts, and techniques of illumination, while questioning the motivations of the monk scribes and the circulation of influences between writing workshops, beyond Normandy, particularly with England.

Partnerships: Normandy Book and Reading / Diocesan Archives of Séez / Departmental Archives of Orne