Muurschildering in de bibliotheek van de kathedraal Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation te Le Puy-en-Velay before 1857

This is Hippolyte Malègue's photograph of the mural in the library of the Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation cathedral in Le Puy-en-Velay. Without dates for the original artwork, we must rely on the context of the cathedral itself, a site of pilgrimage since before the 11th century, to understand its intertwined religious and social histories. Consider how the visual narratives within the mural function as a form of religious instruction and cultural identity. These murals offered a visual language that reinforced established power structures. They helped shape the spiritual and social lives of the community, dictating gender roles and social hierarchies. How do such images navigate the tensions between the divine and the everyday? They invite reflection on the nature of belief, the power of representation, and the complex ways in which we construct our identities.