Near the cellars of the "Joseph Drouhin" winery, the church in Beaune features 15th-century frescoes, which can be admired after enjoying a tasting of fine Burgundy wines.
The town of Beaune is dotted with many remnants of its medieval past. Let us not forget that until the reign of Louis XI, it was the seat of the Parliament of Burgundy.
Thus, in one of the side chapels of the Notre-Dame Collegiate Church, you can admire a mural dating from the late 15th century.
This painting depicts the scene of the resurrection of Lazarus. Its style is typical of Flemish schools of the time, with characters grouped in a "crowd" around the resurrection scene, dressed in rich clothes according to the fashion of the time. The background of the painting presents a simplistic landscape dominated by the walls of a city representing the town of Bethany where the Gospels place this event.
In the tomb depicted at the bottom of the painting, in an assembly of red stones, Lazarus with his hands joined is seen having the burial bandages removed, his face turned towards the figure of Christ. To the right, two female characters illustrate the text of the Gospels, one, Mary of Bethany, counting on her fingers, reminds that Lazarus had been in the tomb for 4 days, and the other, turning away and holding a cloth to her nose, represents Martha, who in the Gospel text insisted on the smell emanating from the body.
One will also notice the character on the right looking at the viewer to involve them in this scene from the Gospels, which for Christians recalls the resurrection of the dead. It can be compared to the Last Judgment by Rogier Van der Weyden displayed at the Hospices de Beaune.
This painting is traditionally attributed to Pierre Spicre, a Dijon painter. He is also thought to be the author of the cartoons used to weave the tapestries of the life of the Virgin presented in summer in the choir of the Collegiate Church of Beaune. However, this attribution is not certain, and the Master of Jean Germain, a Chalon painter, could also be the author.
Nevertheless, these paintings remain a magnificent testimony to the pictorial art of the late Middle Ages.
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Beaune
It is a Romanesque-style church located near the ducal hotel (currently the wine museum), whose construction began in 1115 under the impetus of Étienne de Baugé, bishop of Autun, and was completed in the mid-13th century with the construction of the porch. Built on the Cluniac model, it has great stylistic unity. However, its Gothic-style bell tower was rebuilt with an imperial roof in the 16th century. The side chapels were added from the 13th to the 16th century. Outside, to the right of the porch at height, a Renaissance renovation features a surprising sculpture of Hercules, a rare sight on a religious building.
On the south side, you will find the former convent buildings of the canons, which currently house the presbytery.
In the choir, the tapestries of the life of the Virgin Mary are displayed.
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