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Origin and history

The chapel Saint-Jean-du-Liget, located in Sennevières (Indre-et-Loire), is a 12th century Romanesque building, probably built between 1125 and 1170. Its origin remains debated: some historians attribute it to the Benedictines of Villeloin Abbey, others to the Chartreux du Liget after 1150. Its circular plan, inspired by the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, makes it a unique monument in Touraine. The chapel was originally composed of a rotunda preceded by a nave, now extinct.

The interior frescoes, among the best preserved in Indre-et-Loire, probably date from the first half of the 12th century. They depict biblical scenes (Nativity, Descent of the Cross) and figures of saints organized hierarchically around the bays. Their style recalls the clunisian rather than Cartusian influence, which fed into the debates about the Benedictine fatherhood of the building. An Order of 1280 of the Chartreux requesting the destruction of these paintings suggests that they preexisted upon their arrival.

The chapel was attached to the Chartreuse du Liget until the French Revolution. Already in ruins in the seventeenth century, it was classified as a Historic Monument in 1862 and restored by the state in the 1860s. The nave, which disappeared before 1850, was replaced by a diaphragm wall. The frescoes, degraded by moisture, were restored in the 19th century, 1925, 1960s and 2009. Since 2007, the chapel belongs to the municipality of Sennevières, but its access remains exceptional to preserve the paintings.

The architecture combines a dome vaulted rotunda (7.2 m in diameter) and a cornice decorated with 45 carved modillons. The dimensions, perhaps symbolic (12 cubits for the rotunda like the Apostles, 7 for the nave as well as the days of Creation), and the liturgical orientation underline its sacred character. The chapel initially served as a place of worship for the monks before being abandoned in the sixteenth century.

Recent studies (Meunier, 2011) highlight the uniqueness of its iconography, mixing Marian and apocalyptic cycles. The frescoes of the second register, the best preserved, include a rare representation of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The fourth register, now erased, probably evoked Revelation with the seven cities of Asia Minor. These paintings, attributed to a single artist, bear witness to an exceptional know-how for the time.

The chapel illustrates the tensions between Benedictines and Chartreux in Touraine in the 12th century. Its history also reflects the evolution of religious practices: from the monastic place of prayer to the protected heritage monument. The debates on his dedication to St John (attested by a 14th century text but contested) and the absence of Chartreux saints in his frescoes reinforce his historical mystery.

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