Listed as a historic monument on May 26, 2000, the Saint-Sébastien Chapel, known as Sainte-Claire, was built in 1481 in the upper Vésubie Valley.
Designed to protect the village's inhabitants from the plague, it has recently been restored and is of major interest among the painted chapels of the valleys in the Nice hinterland due to the meticulousness of its representations.
It has a rectangular floor plan, a flat chevet, a barrel vaulted ceiling, and a gabled roof. The entire interior (chevet walls, vault, side walls) is decorated with tempera murals.
It contains a complete cycle of paintings that bear witness to life at the end of the 15th century: architectural representations, clothing, everyday tools, figurative representations of vices and virtues, and even a representation of good and bad prayer: that of the monk and that of the gentleman.
The frescoes on its vaults also offer a veritable “comic strip” by the Piedmontese painter Giovanni Baleison, executed in the 15th century, depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian.
Giovanni Baleison's main works in the County have been cataloged in Saint Martin Vésubie, Saint Etienne de Tinée, Saorge, Lucéram, in collaboration with Giovanni Canavesio (1450?-1500?) in La Brigue. He is one of the most important representatives of the “international Gothic” style, which marked a break with the Middle Ages.
Free visit. The key is available at the town hall from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or at the restaurant “Le Bella Vista” on Place Saint-Jean during opening days.
Chapelle Sainte-Claire
2 Rue de la Mairie,
06450 Venanson
Tel: 04.93.03.23.05
https://www.venanson.fr/evenements/calendrier/34-consecration-saint-michel-eglise-st-michel.html
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