The tympanum of the Saint-Hippolyte church (Paris), winner of the Grand Prix Pèlerin du Patrimoine

Saint-Hippolyte, a neoclassical church from the beginning of the 20th century, arises, incongruous and modest, at the foot of the towers of the 13th arrondissement of Paris. But under its porch, a strong work, in Art Deco style, attracts attention: the Roman Christian Hippolytus is dragged to the ground by two horses who are going to quarter him.

In the background stands Saint Lawrence in flames, whose martyrdom is said to have led to Hippolytus’ conversion. The artist, Henri Marret (1878-1964), member of the sacred art revival movement led by the painter Maurice Denis, created it in 1936.

“This avant-garde then reconnected with the art of frescoes, neglected since the classical era,” says Christian Brunel-Laurent, of the diocesan commission of sacred art. They also sought to innovate. Henri Marret created his work on fresh cement, a new material very fashionable at the time, rather than on traditional lime.” The study prior to the restoration showed that the tympanum had been painted in two days, because we can see the gap between the dried cement of the first day and the second half, brushed the next day.

Marret could only use ocher, red or black pigments which do not oxidize on contact with the support. But he also took advantage of the gray color of bare cement for the horses. “The varnish has aged and the grains of sand from the cement are rising to the surface,” explains Christian Brunel-Laurent, who coordinates the project. We need to stabilize and clean the fresco.” His iconographic and technical originality earned him the Pilgrim Prize for the Creation and Renovation of churches in Île-de-France with the help of Chantiers du Cardinal.