Album des Tapisseries de l'Eglise de la Chaise-Dieu 1873

Hippolyte Malègue created this album of tapestries from the Église de la Chaise-Dieu. The album invites us to consider the role of religious institutions and their intersection with art and cultural heritage. The title, embossed in gold lettering, speaks to a historical and cultural context deeply rooted in French religious tradition. La Chaise-Dieu, an abbey in the Auvergne region, has been a site of religious and artistic significance for centuries. Albums such as these helped to preserve and disseminate knowledge of cultural treasures at a time before mass tourism. The creation of albums like this also speaks to a desire to document and perhaps even monumentalize aspects of French heritage. To understand this album, we might delve into the archives of La Chaise-Dieu itself or explore the history of religious art in France. By examining the social, cultural, and institutional contexts, we can better appreciate the complex meanings embedded within this album.