ABBEY OF SAINT-PIERRE-SUR-DIVES (Calvados) - Lot 79

ABBEY OF SAINT-PIERRE-SUR-DIVES (Calvados) The Virgin Mary seated in majesty beneath a Gothic canopy, holding the infant Jesus in her arms. Coat of arms below. Ogival bronze seal of Abbé Benoît (72.35 g) 6.31 x 3.28 x 1.85 cm Beautiful light brown and green patina. Perfect condition. From the Chappée Collection sold at auction in Paris in February 1986 under number 786. Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives Abbey is an ancient Benedictine monastery founded in 1204 by Countess Lescelline, great-aunt of William the Conqueror. Devastated by fire, the abbey church was rebuilt in the 12th century in a burst of popular generosity. ♦ cf. Les abbés de Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives de la fondation à 1204 by Véronique Gazeau. Annales de Normandie (year 2002) 52-3 pp. 278-279 "By revisiting the sources, which are rather slim since the abbey's cartulary has been lost, we realize that an abbot Auvray I was created from scratch and inserted between Garin and Richard II in the "Gallia Christiana". The following succession should be borne in mind: Ainard, Foulques, Benoît, Étard (or Gautier), Foulques again, Robert, Raoul Ier, Richard Ier de l'Aigle, Haimon, Garin, Auvray, Richard II, Raoul II (or Rainier), Simon."