Saint Denis

• XIMENA BARRERA MIER                              A01368384
• ABIGAIL DELGADO GÓMEZ                        A01365021
• MICHELLE SIERRA MENDIETA                    A01369460
• CESAR EDUARDO MALDONADO ROBLES A01364968
• VICTOR HUGO MONROY GUADARRAMA  A01364555

Historians regard Louis IX of France, canonized by the papacy in 1297, as a religious king. Some historians present this religiosity as constant throughout his life, despite the fact that the source materials indicate changes after certain traumatic events: his near death from illness at Pontoise in 1244, the devastation during and after the Battle of Mansurah in 1250, and several incidents that almost sank his ship during the return journey to France in 1254. By mapping his expressions of religiosity before and after these traumatic events, we can see changes in the king’s behaviors. Because the king turned to his faith after each incident and adopted new mannerisms to show his love for his God, we can determine that he used his religious faith to determine how he interacted with the world.
The changes he made were often extreme. In 1244, he decided he needed to show more religiosity, and became a crusader. When he failed as a crusader in 1250, believing that it was because of his sins and those of the other crusaders, he determined that his level of religiosity was insufficient, and became penitent. With the return journey in 1254, he faced death three more times, and resolved to increase his level of penitence. From this, we can deduce that Louis enacted various reforms after his return to France as part of this enhanced atonement. With these reforms, the king attempted to end administrative abuses; to render justice by making parlement more available, and by evening the scales between rich and poor, as well as between native and foreigner; to stamp out vices, such as prostitution, gambling, blasphemy and usury, throughout the kingdom; and to abolish the use of Moslem coinage in the French realm by issuing a new gold coin, the gros. These changes were not popular among all of his subjects, something that is occasionally acknowledged by his hagiographers. Louis’ objective, though, was to ensure his eternal salvation through that of his subjects’.

The vast examination and analysis of Abbot Suger and the choir of Saint-Denis have mainly focused on the role and importance of the light coming through the stained-glass windows, neglecting the role of color in defining the cathedral's interior space. The same can be said of the references in Suger's writings to the colors of the stained-glass windows as well as of other early medieval goldsmithery objects once held in the basilica. This article analyzes mentions of color in Suger's writings in connection with related works of art. Considerations include the different ways in which color was understood in medieval culture, possible interpretations of the expression materia saphirorum and the vexata quaestio of the links between Suger and the metaphysics of light in Dionysius the Areopagite. Altogether, these considerations show how a full understanding of color-related issues is necessary for a correct interpretation of both Suger's writings and the stained-glass windows in the basilica's choir.

English version, for French version see below:

At first glance, it may seem strange to compare the views and ideas of two personalities whose lives are separated by almost 1000 years: on the one hand Abbot Suger (1081–1151), on the other Henri Matisse (1869). –1854). It is not only a huge gap that separates them, but also their function and position in society. Suger, educated at the age of ten at the Abbey of Saint-Denis, had as his classmate Louis Capet, crowned King of France in 1108. Suger became secretary to Abbot Adam of Saint-Denis and subsequently also adviser to the king. In 1122, elected Abbot of Saint-Denis, Suger was not only the personality with the greatest ecclesiastical power in France, but much more the one who had, after the king himself, the greatest political influence in the kingdom. The extension of the church of Saint-Denis earned him the reputation, not of having invented the Gothic style, but of having systematized it as well as of having made use of the stained glass in a way hitherto unknown by its resplendent and innovative effect. Henri Matisse was, in his time and for his generation, a key figure who, along with Pablo Picasso, was one of the greatest artists. Judging from his artistic career, it was not clear that towards the end of his life he devoted himself to stained glass. But when the chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire was created (1947/1952) in Vence, it was nevertheless this artistic medium that triggered a whole process that led to the design and construction of this building. As a neophyte in the matter, he had to fight against ungrateful materials, until he succeeded in imposing his will and his artistic vision on them.

French version:

De prime abord, cela peut sembler étrange de comparer les vues et les idées de deux personnalités dont les vies sont séparées par presque 1000 ans : d’un côté l’Abbé Suger (1081–1151), de l’autre Henri Matisse (1869–1854). Ce n’est pas seulement un immense intervalle qui les sépare, mais également leurs fonction et position dans la société. Suger, éduqué dès l’âge de dix ans à l’Abbaye Saint-Denis, avait comme compagnon de classe Louis Capet, couronné roi de France en 1108. Suger devint secrétaire de l’abbé Adam de Saint-Denis et par la suite également conseiller du roi. En 1122, élu abbé de Saint-Denis, Suger n’était pas seulement la personnalité avec le plus grand pouvoir ecclésiastique en France, mais bien plus celui qui avait, après le roi lui-même, la plus grande influence politique dans le royaume. L’agrandissement de l’église de Saint-Denis lui valut la réputation, non pas d’avoir inventé le style gothique, mais de l’avoir systématisé ainsi que d’avoir fait usage du vitrail d’une façon jusqu’alors inconnue par son effet resplendissant et novateur. Henri Matisse était, en son temps et pour sa génération, une personnalité phare, qui comptait, avec Pablo Picasso, parmi les plus grands artistes. Si l’on en juge d’après sa carrière artistique, il n’était pas évident qu’il se consacrât vers la fin de sa vie au vitrail. Mais lors de la création de la chapelle de Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire (1947/1952) à Vence, ce fut pourtant ce médium artistique qui déclencha tout un processus qui mena à la conception et à la construction de cet édifice. En tant que néophyte en la matière, il dut se battre contre les des matériaux ingrats, jusqu’à ce qu’il réussisse à leur imposer sa volonté et sa vision artistique.

The Greater Paris is a unique experimental field opening the question of public adhesion and participation to a metropolitan project. A 24-hour cultural tour around high and quotidian places of the regional metropolis gave the opportunity to architects, planners, artists and local authorities to demonstrate the idea of place-time unity : a necessary dimension for the consolidation of a world-class city such as Paris.

The "anonymous Passio S. Dionysii", which is listed by the Bollandistes as BHL 2178, was apparently composed by a monk of Saint-Denis in Paris during the abbacy of Waldo (806-814).  It drew substantially on the earlier, eight-century Passio of the saint (BHL 2171), and was used in turn by Hilduin of Saint-Denis, in his widely influential account of the martyrdom of St Dionysius (BHL 2175).  Although it did not circulate widely, the "anonymous Passio S. Dionysii" occupies an important position in the hagiographical dossier of St Dionysius, because it is the earliest text to associate the Parisian martyr with the Dionysius of Athens who, according to biblical Acts (17, 34) was converted by St Paul, and is the earliest text to describe the saint's miraculous cephalophory, according to which, following his decapitation, he carried his head for two miles from the place of execution to his final resting-place.  The article includes a new critical edition, together with an English translation and a thorough historical commentary of this text.

Programme de l'année 2018-2019: I. L’acte privé carolingien dans l’espace français : ses marges, prolongements et avatars - II. Travaux récents et études en cours - III. Atelier de diplomatique : dossiers et cas apportés par les participants.

Introduction de la thèse de science politique de Gaël Marsaud.

"Prendre position en documentaire : une sociologie politique des films documentaires tournés dans le Centre-ville de Saint-Denis et à la Joliette à Marseille (2000-2010)". Sous la direction de Violaine Roussel

Cette thèse analyse les processus de politisation et dépolitisation de films documentaires attachés à l'urbain stigmatisé et prend pour objet 42 films tournés dans les quartiers du Centre-ville Basilique à Saint-Denis et de la Joliette à Marseille entre 2000 et 2010. L'enquête s'appuie sur une série d'entretiens semi-directifs auprès des réalisateurs et d'analyses filmiques, ainsi que sur un ensemble de sources afférentes à l'activité promotionnelle ou théorique des réalisateurs. Au croisement des sociologies de l'art, du cinéma, du journalisme et des professionnels engagés, cette thèse vise à dresser les contours d'un espace documentaire en voie d'autonomisation. Elle propose une analyse des trajectoires sociales et professionnelles des documentaristes, des clivages qui le constituent et des collaborations nécessaires à la fabrique et la diffusion des documentaires. Elle est l'occasion de revenir sur nombre de représentations couramment accolées à cette pratique allant du rapport à la politique entendu au sens large, à la place accordée au réalisateur dans le processus de création et à la division entre cinéma et journalisme. En plaçant au centre les logiques de professionnalisation et les relations avec des acteurs, intervenants filmés et publics, étrangers à l'espace documentaire, ce travail reconsidère les conditions d'un engagement politique par et au travers des films.

This medium-length encyclopedia entry addresses the question of the aesthetics of Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis, asking how certain motivating forces shaped his aesthetic position and artistic conception, which in turn resulted in the origin of Gothic art, with significant ramifications for the aesthetics of lay spirituality in the art of the great Gothic cathedrals.

The inventory of the monastery of St-Denis’s treasury evaluates more than three hundred objects, from classical cameos to sixteenth-century metalwork. The inventory was the product of collaboration between court secretaries, Parisian goldsmiths, and monastic administrators. Deploying their specialized expertise, the goldsmiths identified the materials and techniques used in the objects, while the monks presented their identity and history. Careful comparative scrutiny allowed the group to document losses, revealing the treasury’s fragility, and to recognize the complex fabrication history of composite objects, like the martyrs’ shrine. The same comparative scrutiny undergirded the provenances contemporaries invented for several works in the treasury.

The advocat defending the publications of the Marquis de Sade in 1957 had also been involved into a strange case of a certain Naundorff and his descendants in 1954 who pretended to be heirs of Louis XVII., who is supposed to have died in 1795 in prison....

Riflessioni e approfondimenti araldico-iconografici sulla figura del Santo patrono di Crotone, e sulla sua influenza negli stemmi e nell’emblematica pubblica e privata della città
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Reflections and insights heraldic-iconographic about the figure of the saint patron of Crotone (Calabria, Southern Italy), and on his influence in coats-of-arms and emblems public and private of the city

Prendre position en documentaire. Une sociologie politique des films documentaires tournés dans le Centre-ville de Saint-Denis et à la Joliette à Marseille (2000-2010). Sous la direction de Violaine Roussel. Thèse soutenue le 11 septembre 2017 à Paris.

La Noche Europea de l@s Investigador@s es un evento público anual impulsado por la Comisión Europea que busca acercar a l@s científic@s a la sociedad. La Noche brinda a l@s investigador@s del continente la oportunidad de mostrar la diversidad de la ciencia y su impacto en la vida cotidiana de los ciudadanos, así como estimular el interés por las carreras científicas y técnicas, especialmente entre los jóvenes. Las actividades que se llevan a cabo en la Noche tienen una base común: una puesta en escena atractiva e interactiva para llegar al público.

En 2019, la Noche se celebró en 433 ciudades de 27 países europeos. Más de 1’6 millones de personas asistieron a estos eventos y más de 36.000 investigadores participaron.

En 2020, la Noche Europea de l@s Investigador@s tendrá lugar el viernes 27 de noviembre.