Marie-Alain Couturier - Sacred Art

Sacred Art

From 1936 till 1954 Father Couturier, together with Father Pie-Raymond Régamey, was the chief editor of the review L'Art Sacré that was to become very influential among art critics no longer satisfied with what was considered outdated 19th-century church decoration. Father Couturier, who had received a thorough and practical training as an artisan glazier at the Ateliers, was then considering to bring "living" art into the scope of modern church building. With Maurice Denis he was responsible for the first abstract stained glass windows in the church of Le Raincy, built by Auguste Perret in 1923.

The Austrian priest Otto Mauer, in the same period, was working along the same lines with the Austrian Avant-Garde, opening the Galerie nächts St Stephan for the very purpose. Alfred Kubin and Arnulf Rainer, among others became great friends of Mauer, just like some of the most outspoken freethinkers such as Fernand Léger and Henri Matisse became intimate friends with Father Couturier.

The general idea for these ground-breaking clerical artists was that there was no religious denomination for art. "What is more real? The torments of the figure of Christ or the beautiful expensive necklace you are wearing?" the priest asked a parishioner who was criticizing the novel way in which Germaine Richier had symbolised the Christ in Agony in the new church at Assy. Another example: "But don't you know I am a Jew?" Jacques Lipchitz had asked Father Couturier, when commissioned to deliver the sculpture of the Virgin Mary for Assy. "If it does not bother you, it does not bother me" was the answer.

Contributing to the spirit of great art that led to the Couturier's inspiration were:

• The stained glass windows of Alfred Manessier for the church of Sainte-Agathe des Bréseux (1948) -the first non figurative designs to be incorporated in an ancient building, Father Couturier himself signing for the window celebrating St Theresa
• The Chapelle du Saint-Marie du Rosaire by Henri Matisse (1949-1951).
• The Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut by Le Corbusier (1954)
• The Church of Notre-Dame de Toute Grâce du Plateau d'Assy, bringing together Braque, Matisse, Bonnard, Lurçat, Rouault, Léger, Bazaine, Chagall, Berçot, Briançon, Richier... (1938-1949)
• The Church of Sacré Cœur d'Audincourt: stained glass by Fernand Léger, mosaic and stained glass by Jean Bazaine, stained glass (crypte) by Jean Le Moal (1955)
• The convent Sainte Marie de La Tourette at Eveux-sur-l'Arbresle (near Lyon) by Le Corbusier, 1960
• The Rothko Chapel, celebrating the inspiring talks between Dominique de Menil and Father Couturier.

The annual exhibition, Salon Art Sacré (sacred art) was founded in 1951 by Couturier, along with his fellow Dominican friar Pie-Raymond Régamey and the lay artist Joseph Pichard. They wanted to revitalize the sacred meaning in art. Supported by Andre Malraux in the 1960, the show reached its artistic heyday with the Salon Art et Matière (Art and Matter) which targeted a so-called secular spirituality. In 1989, the noted artist Pierre Heymann began to contribute to the exhibition.

This exhibition changed its name to SAESAM in 1994. Currently it maintains an online presence as a forum for artists to share their work and ideas connected to spirituality.