The birth of Archeological Society of South France

The birth of the "Société archéologique"
excerpt from "La connaissance par l’écrit et par l’image" - by Louis Peyrusse, in "Toulouse et l’art médiéval de 1830 à 1870 - Musée des Augustins : octobre 1982-janvier 1983", exhibition catalogue, pg. 27-28

TOULOUSE and the medieval art from 1830 to 1870

"    BEFORE 1830, the information available on the medieval art of Toulouse came from the rare works of 18th century scholars mainly concerned with History, and from the research of Alexandre Du Mège which was seldom published. A selected circle of fellow members had the privilege of his discoveries and drawings. They were members, sometimes uninterested, from the "Académie des Sciences, inscriptions et belles lettres" or even the "Institut de Paris". From the July Monarchy to the end of the Second Empire, different initiatives bring the Middle Ages and its art to a better understanding (clever publications, lithographic albums, conventions, journals or even magazines for the general public).

    The first and most important initiative was the founding of the "Société Archéologique du Midi de la France" on June the 2nd, 1831. Fourteen members were gathered in the salon of the marquis de Castellane, on Du Mège’s request and joined forces to "preserve and make known the historical monuments […], to study, collect and publish information on the antique and medieval monuments still standing or to discover, either in Guienne, Rouergue, Auvergne, Languedoc, Provence or in the regions where peoples from southern Gaul settled, or even in the countries of the East which were conquered by the Crusaders coming from Provence, Aquitaine, Languedoc, etc."

    What is the main frame of this society that lays down such a vast program ? The word and adjective "société archéologique" are new in Toulouse where only academies exist. The original model should be looked for in Normandy where Arcisse de Caumont founded the "Société des antiquaires de Normandie" in 1823, with Du Mège as a corresponding member. The comparison does not go further. In Toulouse, nobody went for a partitioning of the territory to survey, where the members would be responsible of studies based on their qualifications, in their own circonscriptions (cantons). Neither Du Mège nor Castellane possessed the human resources of the "Société Linéenne". This one gathered avid minds eager to jump from the study of moss and shell to monuments, combining their aptitudes of scholars, architects, geologists, painters or poets. On the contrary, in Toulouse, the society is formed as an academy where election is the rule and a membership drive is strict. Du Mège, exhausted from being a "vox clamans in deserto", wanted to implement, by the creation of this specialized society, an authorized and efficient pressure group towards the authorities. On the other hand, the Legitimists expelled from official duties after the Revolution of July, enroled themselves willingly in this old stones struggle. This desire to acknowledge and maintain a monarchist and catholic past would comfort them from their powerlessness in politics… Nonetheless, the society spectrum is mesured with care : "conscientious men from all trends of opinions, except of course the unstablealizing ones, had to be admitted within" – The "Gazette du Languedoc" would later say.

    None of these men had an archaeological training. Many came from the "Société des Amis des Arts" whose main purpose was to revive the "Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture", at least for the occasional members. Founded in 1814, this assembly organized common exhibitions, planned to publish a work on the city monuments and bought modern paintings drawned at a lottery. Above all, our members were collectors and sketchers. To no ones surprise, the permanent members of the "Société" are essentially landlords fulfilling their leisure time (often members of the nobility as Marquis de Castellane, de Rességuier, de Saint-Félix Mauremont, Count de Blégier de Pierre-Grosse, Baron du Périer, etc.) or high rank magistrates, very seldom clercks. Members of the teaching profession joined in at a later date, as did members of the medical profession. This society maintained an elite status and was mainly a gathering of leading citizens and intellectuals.

    Two people are considered essential at the start of this society : the marquis de Castellane, president from the age of 70 to 84, and Du Mège. The marquis, already an old man in 1831, had behind him a military career in which he put apparently minimal interest, but had a certain taste for the arts and letters. He was an independant academician before the Revolution, painted cameos for a living while in exile in London, looked after the "Bureau des Arts" in the municipal administration of Toulouse, collected "national antiques", put together a historic iconography of Madame de Sévigné. Soon (before 1812), he built a neo-gothic pavilion on the grounds of Maurens-Scopons castle. This wing was dedicated to the memory of Boniface, the family de Castellane’s troubadour who, it is said, depicted Charles d’Anjou’s court… The pavilion decor originated from Saint-Sernin for the sculptures, and probably, from the Jacobins or the Carmes for the capitals and small columns. His other collections are less known. He owned beautiful Toulousan incunabula that later landed in Doctor Bernard Desbarreaux’s library. He also possessed manuscripts, in particular this "Vision de Tindal" that he edited according to the "method" adopted by the Count de Tressan in the 18th century (popularizing the medieval literature abridging the novels in "extracts" and preceding them by a review). This inexperienced antique dealer, who went by England and the troubadour trend, was keen in the promotion of large public works and in imposing the society to the local authorities. For Du Mège, the marquis was an unexpected golden mine.

    Is it unfair to affirm that Du Mège’s richest years are behind him ? In 1831, he was fifty-one years old. Born by accident at La Haye, of a comedian father, he established himself in Toulouse. There, without any training, he imposed himself with success as the province archaeologist and historian. He even was almost offered the chair of History at the Faculté des Lettres in 1830. Of course, Du Mège already embraced the contemporary ideas and fashions like freemasonry, egyptomany, celtomany… These preoccupations were for a few in two of his scholar works : "Archéologie pyrénenéenne" with the display of all the monuments from the South-West from Gaul times until the 13th century as main objective and "Monasticum gallicum" written for each "departement". Consequently, Du Mège appears as the right successor of the great scholars from the last century, re-editing their works, compiling and continuing them with his own style. His written pieces reveal a total osmosis between the man and the masterpiece, between life, science and the global memory. The unique and evident ideal in these masterpieces, at times so confusing and prolific, is an unconditional southern patriotism exalting the old glories and monuments.

    Logically, the same passion animates the "Musée des Antiques" curator, a museum that was his pride, gave him the public recognition and a conquest over the past. More than just collecting everything, from all possible sources like originals and plasters, he intended to turn his collection into a tool, historical and educational: witnesses upon history (recreating them if necessary) and a teaching tool, to emphasize the southern civilization magnificence and the great southern men exceptionnal value …

    Du Mège is the herald of the "Société archéologique". He gave it his own motto "Gloriae majorum", society within which he didn’t always obtain perfect agreements. One of the reason comes from fourty years of existence of this erudit company, shaken by the crisis of the fake marbles of Nérac at its beginning. These years did not face the same fever as in the first era. The three succeding presidencies depict this obvious articulation : 1831 to 1845, fifteen glorious and prolific years under the direction of Marquis de Castellane, then twenty drowsy and quite empty years filled more by speeches than practical work with Auguste d’Aldéguier, 1866, a short and confusing interval for Caze. The years 1866 to 1870 were four years directed by Baron du Périer who provided a renewal and a new impulse. The volumes from the "Mémoires" are a perfect exemple of these rythm interruptions and of the inconsistent richness in the pieces of work.

    These memoires seemingly stern were popularized, published again and again, and analyzed in detail by the local press. They were well perceived by the general opinion as proven by a quite astonishing press review from the early years. From the ranks of Republicans to the Legitimists, through the governmental golden mean, it’s the sacred union, even for the neutral "Journal de Toulouse" (march 16th, 1832) or the radical "Revue du Midi" (t.2, 1833) whose director will launch the republican "Émancipation" in 1837 - "The provinces’ freedom is a cry heard all over France. If, so is the wish for a healthy politic, it remains nonetheless the wish of the friends of letters, arts and sciences. Even though professing a profound admiration and a full respect towards the Paris intellectuals whose meetings are renowned, why shouldn’t the provinces aspire for their own society, their own academies from where bright leading lights would spring and the intellectual life would spread all over France?" Not so far from this point of view, the Republicans are in keeping with the new history atmosphere, as described by the "Lettres sur l’histoire de France" by Augustin Thierry. Their wish is to be able to demonstrate how joined the republican ideal and the Languedoc past, land of freedom, are. In a word, the Middle Ages is so lusted with so much to discover, its meaning will not stay neutral.

    Very active at the beginning, the press support then becomes scarce, only attached to the importance of the disclosed "affairs". At times, it only sticks to publication of the sessions minutes. For the society, that was the way to expose its works and to impose its role in the public opinion. Its adviser’s position towards the authorities has been subtle. For the local administration, the society is essentially an already formed commission of sages and specialists, whose advice is sollicited and received spontaneously. Without elaborating on fourty years of administration vandalism, let’s quote that the society defended the Toulousan monuments vigourously, with at times some happy endings. Two of them are the Jacobins museum and its enrichement upon which the society acted and looked after, and the cathedral Saint-Étienne for which it requested the conservation of the "raimondine" nave in 1864. Yet, it wasn’t always a success as explained by the 1844 remarquable report on Saint-Sernin, report not even partially considered by Viollet-le-Duc, and by the fact that the demolition contractors were not concerned by the archaeologists’ wishes (as often today). The exemples are the gate Montgaillard, the refectory of the Augustins, the Capitol, the triumphal arc of the Pont-Neuf, etc…

    In conclusion, the society well played its essential role as a home for studies, collections, conservation and struggles. It also has been a salon, a scholar circle and a new way for the southern elite, as described by Maurice Agulhon. The minutes unedited from 1831 to 1869 reflect the charms of a certain era and sociability, situation that shouldn’t hide the qualities of the works accomplished and their limits. However, the society stayed much too secluded within a Toulousan position, when its program or field of study was spreading all over the South. The society didn’t promote its role in surrounding cities such as Albi, Auch, Rodez, Montauban, Carcassonne, Castres, Foix, Perpignan… launching similar organizations. Its outside radiance was very limited. The Toulousan archaeologists had a disdain for the possible Parisian relays, the forums and conventions organized by Arcisse de Caumont. This voluntary intellectual autarky, a somewhat insane stake maintained with persistance, could not lead to an activity of quality. The new generation who shook the "Société Archéologique" after 1865, understood this weakness and joined the French and international scientific mouvement. "

Louis Peyrusse

Translated by Anne Romiguière
aromiguiere@sprint.ca