MARTIAL, VALERIE, YRIEIX
Saints of the Limousin



No mention of Saints Martial, Valérie, Yrieix, in  The Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela, tr. Paula Gerson, Annie Shaver-Crandell, Alison Stones, Jeanne Krochalis, London, 1998, II.

Sts Martial and Valérie in the liturgy and hagiography of Limoges



Paris, BNF lat. 1121, f. 28v
 Prosa in honour of St Martial,
11c


Paris, BNF lat. 5296A, f. 12v
Pseudo-Aurelien,
Vita sancti Martialis
12c


Paris, BNF lat. 5296, f.
Pseudo-Aurelien,
Vita sanctae Valeriae
12c


Limoges, AD Haute-Vienne,
Bibl. de la Société archéologique et
historique de la Haute-Vienne, MS 23,
Bernard Gui, Registre des saints du
Limousin, f. 1v
c. 1305

MARTIAL



León, San Isidoro, Pantheon de los Reyes
12c




Pantheon de los Reyes, detail of Last Supper, Martial in attendance

Saint-Junien (Haute-Vienne), Chapelle Saint-Martial
Miracles of St Martial: resurrection of Alpinien;
arrival of Sts Marial, Aurélien and Austriclien at Limoges; Pilgrims at Martial's shrine
13c. ?

Avignon, Papal Palace, Chapel of Saint-Martial, 1344-45 under Pope Clement VI (1342-52) by Master Matteo Giovanetti and many assistants


Chapel of Saint-Martial: north wall
Miracles of Martial at Limoges;
Ordination of Aurelian and founding of 13 churches

Chapel of Saint-Martial: vault
Scenes from life of young Martial in
Holy Land


Chasse of St Martial: New York, Metropolitan Museum 17.190.685-7, 695, 710-11
Limoges, c. 1150, from the church of Saint-Martial, Champagnat (Creuse), copper gilt and enamel

Front and Roof: Evangelist Symbols; end: St Paul
Roof: Hand of God, blessing, between censing angels
Front: Christ blessing, between Mary Magdalen and Martial; end: St Peter

Chasse of St Martial: Paris, Musée du Louvre, OA 8101
Limoges, c. 1165-75, provenance unknown
copper gilt and enamel

Front: Martial blessing Valérie or the healing of Arnoul's daughter;
Stephen Duke of Aquitaine ordering the execution of Valérie
Roof: Martial resurrecting Alpinian and Austreclinian or Aurelian and Andrew
Back: Martial heals a possessed; Martial led to his martyrdom
Roof: burial of Martial by Aurelian

VALÉRIE
Chasse of St Valérie: St Petersburg, Hermitage Inv. gamma 175; Limoges, c. 1175-85; provenance unknown; copper gilt and enamel

Front: Duke Stephen ordering Valérie's execution; Valérie led to execution and beheaded
Roof: Duke Stephen sees the executioner struck by lightning; Valérie, carrying her head, raised up by an angel and escorted to Martial to whom she offers her head; end: modern
Back: Adoration of the Magi; Roof: Four apostles, including Peter; end: an apostle



Paris, Musée du Louvre, OA 7744, Chasse of St Valérie,
Limoges c. 1225-35, provenance unknown, copper gilt and enamel

Roof: execution of Valérie
Front: Valérie's executioner sees her offer her severed head to Martial

Brive, Collégiale Saint-Martin
Composite reliquary, Limoges, c. 1260-80, perhaps for a Franciscan house in Brive
copper gilt

Top: Valérie offers her severed head to Martial
below: St Clare and St Francis

Limoges, Archives AA 1
Registre des consuls de Limoges
c. 1320 ?
  f. 165v, Valérie offers her severed head to Martial.


Chambon-sur-Voueize (Corrèze), Head Reliquary of St Valérie
Limoges, between 1368 and 1378, silver gilt, enamel and jewels

YRIEIX
New York, Metropolitan Museum,  Head Reliquary of St Yrieix
acquired from J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917
Limoges, 12c
silver gilt and jewels

REFERENCES
Légende dorée du Limousin: les saints de la Haute-Vienne (Cahiers du Patrimoine no. 36),  Limoges, 2002, ed. P.-E. Robinne, 45, 51, 55, 78, 99, 156, nos. 1,  16,  59.
Enamels of Limoges 1100-1350, ed. J.P. O'Neil, New York, 1996, nos. 10, 17, 20, 85, 142.
A. Stones, 'Quién est á dentro y quién est á fuera ? Los santos de la Guía de peregrinos hacia Santiago,' ('Who is In and Who is Out ?  Saints of the Pilgrim's Guide to Santiago de Compostela,'), in Visitandum est, ed. P. Caucci von Sauken (Santiago de Compostela: Xunta de Galicia, 2005), 255-76.
return to Who is in Main