In Normandy, at Hambye Abbey, a bestiary exhibition transports us to medieval times

The painter Jean-Philippe Burnel revisits with his energetic stroke the rich bestiary of medieval illuminations and invites the sculptor Marc Taupin whose animal ceramics dialogue with his paintings. “The beasts of the Middle Ages – Like a taste of wonder” can be admired until November 3.

Nestled in the heart of Normandy, the nearly 900-year-old Hambye Abbey is a jewel of the medieval era. It seems only fitting that this majestic abbey should host the exhibition Beasts of the Middle Ages – A taste of wonder until November 3.

As its name suggests, it is dedicated to a bestiary, a work created by four hands by the painter from Manche, Jean-Philippe Burnel. For this exhibition project entirely imagined for the Hambye Abbey, he invited the sculptor Marc Taupin.

The two artists, who know each other well, have followed parallel creative paths. Jean-Philippe Burnel, fascinated by 12th century illuminations, immersed himself in this meticulous art. “When I discovered illuminations in books, I wanted to do something with these beautiful little images. I made one, two, five, then I said to myself, why not do a more complete work, an exhibition,” he says.

For his part, Marc Taupin focused on stone sculpture, using popular techniques and motifs from the Middle Ages.

“Illumination was an elite job, reserved for those who were educated, while sculpture belonged to workers, to people closer to the people.”

The result of their collaboration is a fascinating bestiary where fish, dragons, foxes, unicorns and owls rub shoulders, all magnified by the beauty of the old stones of the Norman abbey. These works, inspired by the illuminations made by the monks in the abbey’s scriptorium in the 12th century, find a perfect setting here.

The exhibition Beasts of the Middle Ages – A taste of wonder transports visitors into a world where wonder meets history, a true journey through time that continues until the 3 November 2024 at Hambye Abbey.