The creation of the monumental sculpture dedicated to the Virgin Mary (cathedral choir – late 18th century) was not a smooth ride.
From the quarries in Carrara, Italy, problems began for sculptor Bridan, who had to choose his materials…
The saga continues: From the port of Marseille to the cathedral’s doors…
We’re still delivering the original documents – in extenso, as they reflect the reality of the construction site.
Marble expenses – transport from Marseille to Marly – contract:
« We, the undersigned, Pierre d’Hozier, canon of the cathedral church of Chartres… and Gaspard Jonniaux, master sculptor, marble mason… have agreed as follows…
… I, Jonniaux, am obliged to receive, at my own expense, all the statuary marbles coming from Italy, destined for the decoration of the said church in Chartres and which are to be unloaded in Marseille, to have them re-embarked there also at my own expense and to return them to the port of Marly le Roi, assuming all the costs of unloading, embarkation in Marseille, at Le Havre and other places along the way, up to and including unloading at the said port of Marly, in a place where they can remain in safety until the carriages of the said chapter remove them at his expense, charging me with all vessel costs, damages, freights, rights of passage, sea and other, generally whatever, without however that I answer for the danger of the sea, on condition that the said lords of the chapter will pay me the sum of twelve pounds per cubic foot of the said marbles, whatever the size and weight of the blocks, which sum will be paid to me within fifteen days of the arrival of the said blocks in the port of Marly…
I, d’Hozier… promise to pay the said Sieur Jonniaux the sum of twelve livres per cubic foot of all the blocks of statuary marble destined for our church… that the said Jonniaux does not remain guarantor of the events of the sea, but will be held the said Sieur to carry out the conditions specified above…
Done in duplicate in Paris this fifteenth day of July 1770 D’Hozier, canon Jonniaux ».
Spending on marble – transport from the Trappes entrance to Chartres cathedral – contract:
« We, the undersigned, Pierre d’Hozier, canon of the cathedral church of Chartres… and jean Gents mechanicien hydraulic ordinary of the buildings associated with louis Anosée known as Christophe, also contractor of the aforementioned buildings of his majesty, residing in versailles… agreed on the following:
… We, after having examined several times the six marble boxes which are on rails, dragged on flat, disparate planks, greased with soap and pulled by force of men, vindas and cables, having calculated the size, weight and dimensions of the said six blocks which are currently at the trap door, we oblige ourselves to transport them in the aforementioned manner and in the same gentle state, without the use of carriages, axles or wheels of any kind, high or low, on the same four heddles, taking charge of all expenses such as ropes, vindas, heddles, planks, jacks, fittings, soap, grease, light during the night, payment and food for all necessary workmen, and taking care to keep away any carriages that come too close to the said blocks; we undertake to return the six blocks to the interior of the said Chartres cathedral, at the place indicated to us, on or about the fifteenth of December of the present year, whatever the weather, in good condition, without any fracture, for the sum of six thousand livres for all things generally, and without the gentlemen of the chapter being liable for any compensation for any cause or accident whatsoever; on the condition, however, that these gentlemen will lend us the vindas, stringers, planks and four ropes that have been used to date for the said transport, obliging us to return them to them at the end of the work in the condition in which they will then be, and to have new ones supplied at our expense if we need them…
And we the canon consent to the execution of the above clauses and promise to pay… the sum of six thousand livres in several payments as follows: namely to Coinières when the six blocks have arrived there, six hundred francs; to Rambouillet six hundred francs, to Epernon six hundred francs, six hundred francs to Maintenon and the remainder to Chartres when the blocks are returned to the said church and all other things in this contract are fulfilled.
Signed in duplicate between us at Versailles, at the Hôtel du Cheval Rouge where the above parties have elected domicile this third day of November 1771. D’Hozier, Canon.
Quittance I acknowledge, in accordance with the above contract, that I have received from the gentlemen of the Chartres chapter the sum of ix thousand livres for the transportation of their marble blocks which I undertook, by means of the present quittance, all letters, acquisitions, deposits from me or my workmen remain null and void.
At Chartres, in settlement of all accounts, made in the presence and with the consent of Sieur Anosée, my associate, who declared that he did not know how to sign, on the second day of December 1771.
Signed : Gents »
