[HOULIEZ Pierre] [ABBAYE NOTRE DAME DE LA TRAPPE] – Tableaux representans au naturel tout ce qui se passe en la maison Dieu Nôtre dame de la Trappe de l’Etroitte observance de l’ordre de Cis-teaux diocèse de Sées, depuis que cette Abhaye a esté mise en Regle par Dom Armand Jean de Bouthillier, de Rancé cy devant. Abbé Commendataire de la ditte Abbaye, et depuis Abbé regulier ayant fait sa profession en l’Abbaye de Perseigne le 6e juin 1664, il mourut dans celle de la Trappe le 27e octobre 1700 à deux heures après midi agé de 74 ans entre les bras de Monseigneur l’Evesque de Sees. Il voulut estre enterré dans le cimetière de la ditte Abbaye. Dédiés à Monsieur le chevalier de Rancé chevalier de l’Ordre de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem, Capitaine du Port de Marseille, chef d’escadre des Galères de France.

A rare complete set of 20 large copper engravings by Pierre Houliez, circa 1700, dedicated to Abbé Armand-Jean de Rancé (1626-1700), the great reformer of the Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame de la Trappe, founded in 1122 in Soligny-la-Trappe (Orne).

Published in Paris by the print-dealer J. Guenard, they describe the activities of the monastery in the 17th century; all bear the inscription ‘Se vend à Paris’ (Sold in Paris), supplemented for plate [12] by ‘Se vend à Paris chez I. Guenard’ (Sold in Paris at I. Guenard’s). Of these 20 plates, 11 are numbered.

The titles of the engravings in the series are as follows:

1. [Title and dedication with coat of arms of Knight Rancé, ‘chevalier de l’Ordre de Saint Jean de Jérusalem, capitaine du port de Marseille, chef d’escadre des galères’]

2. Frère Armand Jean Abbé de la Maison-dieu Notre-Dame de la Trappe fait la Conférence les jours destinés pour la récréation avec ses Religieux (n°2)

3. Réfectoire (n°3)

4. La Manière dont les religieux de Notre Dame de la Trappe reçoivent l’habit et font profession (n°4)

5. Les Perres (sic) de la Trappe font voir la maison aux passans / La Manière dont les Perres de la Trappe reçoivent les passans (n°5)

6. Hospitalité exercée à la Trappe (n°6)

7. Choeur de l’Abbaye de la Trappe (n°7)

8. Visite de l’Abbaye des Clairets (n°8)

9. Veuë de l’Eglise et des Cloîtres de Notre Dame de la Trappe (n°9)

10. Conversion du Comte de Santena (n°10)

11. Le Père Abbé de la Trappe tient le chapitre des Coulpes deux fois la semaine

12. Chauffoir des religieux de la Trappe

13. Les Religieux de la Trappe s’occupent à differens ouvrages

14. Lessive des religieux de la Trappe

15. Le Jardin des Perres de la Trappe

16. Boulangerie de la Trappe

17. Vendanges des Religieux de la Trappe

18. Cuisine de la Trappe

19. Infirmerie des Religieux de la Trappe (n°19)

20. Religieux de la Trappe à l’Agonie (n°20)

At a time when the Council of Trent was bearing fruit and peace had returned between Catholics and Huguenots, a reform movement was sweeping through Cistercian life. Some wanted to rediscover the fervour and customs that had been undermined by the difficulties of the time: this was the movement known as the Strict Observance, which was quickly joined by a man of fiery temperament, Armand-Jean Le Bouthillier de Rancé (1626-1700), from a family of lawyers who had made a name for themselves in Richelieu’s government. The young man, owner of La Trappe Abbey, began a brilliant ecclesiastical and social career when he was struck by a sudden mystical crisis and withdrew from the world in the spring of 1656. He renounced all his possessions and entered his abbey as a monk, where he was blessed abbot in 1664, imbuing his community with his zeal for God and for the authentic practice of the Rule of St. Benedict and the traditions of the order. However, his interpretation of Tradition was not unanimous. Nevertheless, he continued to fascinate his contemporaries with his fervour for God and his ardent charity, which unfortunately found more expression in his private conversations and correspondence than in his public statements. Vocations poured in, but many left, unable to endure such a demanding lifestyle. However, at the end of the 18th century, a particularly unfavourable period for monastic life, the community of La Trappe was still one of the largest in France. (See: Abbaye Notre-Dame de Bon Secours de Blauvac, Rancé abbé de La Trappe: la Passion de Dieu).

This magnificent suite is very rare; the only copy listed in the Catalogue collectif de France is held at the Bibliothèque de Carpentras (identical collation, reference 26.697).

It is missing from the collection of Henri Tournoüer, Bibliography and iconography of the Notre-Dame de la Trappe almshouse in the diocese of Sées, by Dom A.-J. Le Bouthillier de Rancé, abbot and reformer of this abbey, and in general of all the monks of the same monastery (Mortagne, Marchand et Gilles, G. Meaux, 1894-1896, 2 vols.).

Copies cited: Catalogue of books and prints relating to the fine arts Hippolyte Alexandre Gabriel Walter Destailleurs 1895, no. 389 (20 plates); Library of Baron Bethmann 1923, no. 178 (20 plates); Antiquarisches Bücherlager von Kirchhoff & Wigand in Leipzig 1889 vol. 836, no. 1105 (18 plates). See: Marie-Gérard Dubois, L’abbaye Notre-Dame de la Trappe, Éditions Amis du Perche, 2001, pages 41ff.