Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Convent of the Manosque Presentation, located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, is a religious building built during the 2nd quarter of the 19th century. This monument was restored by the city of Manosque, which entrusted to the painter Jean Carzou the realization of a monumental fresco depicting the Apocalypse according to Saint John, completed in June 1991. This work, of blue-green dominants, adorns the apse and the choir, illustrating on one side the destruction caused by man (wars, massacres) and on the other, a tribute to the woman, symbol of reconstruction. The stained glass windows, inspired by caisson vaults and ancient columns, evoke historical conflicts such as the Vendée wars or the Napoleonic countryside.

The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, painted in the choir, embody the great genocides of history: massacre of the American Indians, Armenian genocide of 1915, Saint Bartholomew, and concentration camps. These artistic representations make the convent a place of visual memory, mixing spirituality and universal history. Natural lighting, crossing the stained glass windows, reinforces the dramatic impact of the fresco, creating an atmosphere that is both sacred and contemplative.

The architecture of the convent, although little detailed in the sources, is part of a Provençal religious heritage, marked by classical elements such as friezes and columns. The building, classified or referenced in the heritage bases (in particular Mérimée), bears witness to the cultural and historical importance of Manosque in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its link with Jean Carzou, a major artist of the twentieth century, also makes it a remarkable artistic site, attracting visitors and researchers.

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