To contact us:
+33 6 86 18 48 75
contact@restaurersaintsulpice.fr
Aguttes - 147, boulevard Saint-Germain - 75006 Paris
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A Collective Commitment
Me CLAUDE AGUTTES
Auctioneer, President and Founder of Aguttes Auction House
Delacroix, Pigalle, Lemoyne, Slodtz, Boizot, Bouchardon, Van Loo… quite an ensemble!
And this immense church deserves it all. Nineteen chapels surround the choir like a crown of flowers. One of these, dedicated to Saint Louis — the great King of France — was painted by Louis Matout in 1870 and now needs restoration. Candle smoke has darkened the colors, and moisture has caused damage. Visitors pass by without slowing down. Juliette Rode, head of our office in the 6th arrondissement, spoke to me about this project with great enthusiasm. As a passionate defender of heritage, I could only lend my support to this charity sale — for the monument, but also in tribute to Saint Louis himself. He was the owner of Tournoël Castle in Auvergne (which I own and am restoring) before entrusting it to his brother Alphonse de Poitiers. I like to imagine that Saint Louis may have mentioned Tournoël in discussions around that agreement. Maybe that’s bold to think, but it compels me all the same.
GEOFFROI DE SAINT-CHAMAS
President of the Fondation Avenir du Patrimoine in Paris
Year after year, Saint-Sulpice is regaining its colors and majesty. This iconic Paris church is a powerful example of the synergy between public and private funding. The generosity of individuals and patrons allows restoration projects to happen more quickly, complementing the City of Paris’s budget. By supporting this project, you become an active participant in preserving our extraordinary religious heritage!
VÉRONIQUE MILANDE
Heritage Curator, Head of COARC (Conservation of Religious and Civil Works of Art) City of Paris
COARC supports the charity auction benefiting the restoration of the Saint-Louis Chapel. Recognizing its heritage importance, this effort is part of the mission to preserve worship heritage and pass it on to future generations. COARC welcomes this initiative mobilizing patrons and art lovers in the service of heritage conservation.
P. HENRI DE LA HOUGUE
Priest of Saint-Sulpice
Thanks to its size and central Paris location, Saint-Sulpice holds a special place in the city. It is both a neighborhood parish and a sanctuary for Île-de-France — a unique building combining architecture, sculpture, painting, and music. Visitors come to hear the great Cavaillé-Coll organ, see the 17th-century astronomical gnomon, admire sculptures by Pigalle, Boizot, Slodtz, and Bouchardon, and explore the baroque Chapel of the Virgin and side chapels painted by Prix de Rome winners in the 19th century. I am pleased to present the patronage project for restoring the Saint-Louis Chapel, which will reveal its historical and spiritual dimension once again.
Je serais très honoré de vous compter parmi les mécènes de cette aventure.
JEAN-PIERRE LECOQ
Mayor of the 6th arrondissement of Paris
For more than ten years, local residents have repeatedly mobilized to defend their heritage through participatory budgeting. This commitment has enabled the restoration of many chapels at Saint-Sulpice. These contributions add to those from generous patrons, through which the Chapel of the Virgin has notably regained its full splendor. In that same spirit, we naturally support this beautiful project that I am confident will restore the colors of the Saint-Louis Chapel.
A Work by Louis Matout
The decoration of the Saint-Louis Chapel was commissioned in 1864 from painter Louis-Nicolas Matout and completed in 1870. Through two major scenes from the saint’s life, Matout pays tribute to him.
Louis-Nicolas Matout (1811 – 1888)
Portrait of Louis Matout
Born in Renwez in the Ardennes and deceased in Paris, Louis-Nicolas Matout was a French painter specializing in religious and historical subjects. Coming from a modest background, he entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he trained under François-Édouard Picot.
He exhibited regularly at the Paris Salon from 1833 onward, where his works were noted for their narrative clarity and moral gravity. Matout received numerous commissions for churches and public monuments throughout France, contributing significantly to the religious revival in 19th-century sacred art.
Louis Matout, Esquisse pour l'église Saint-Sulpice : Saint-Louis ensevelit les pestiférés à Damiette, 1864
Other major decorative programs were commissioned from Matout, including:
- The chapel of Lariboisière Hospital, 1858
- The Assembly of the Gods, ceiling painting, Anne of Austria’s apartments, Louvre, 1868
- Saint-Jacques Chapel in the church of Saint-Merry, 1872
- Saint-Anne Chapel of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, 1860–1866
- The paintings in La Rochelle Cathedral, 1883
Long forgotten for a time, the artist has returned to prominence: the Louvre has recently completed the restoration of The Assembly of the Gods in Anne of Austria’s apartments, and the City of Paris is restoring the decoration of Saint-Jacques Chapel at Saint-Merry in 2025.
In the Saint-Louis Chapel, Matout pays tribute to this reforming and just king — patron saint of soldiers — by depicting two important episodes from his reign:
- Saint Louis administering justice beneath an oak tree
- Saint Louis burying the victims of the plague in Damietta
On the vault, surrounding the arms of France, the artist also represents, in the spandrels: Louis IX (Saint Louis), his wife Margaret of France, a monk, and a bishop.
SAINT LOUIS
Saint Louis rend la justice sous un chêne
Louis IX was born in 1214 and became King of France in 1226 at the age of 12 under the regency of his mother, Blanche of Castile. A deeply pious monarch, he strengthened royal authority and reformed the legal system by establishing the king’s tribunal. Captured during the Crusades, he was released for ransom but later died of illness in Tunisia during the Eighth Crusade. He was canonized in 1297 by Pope Boniface VIII and is venerated as the patron saint of soldiers.
THE RESTORATION PROJECT
The chapel’s decoration has suffered widespread darkening. The colors and scenes have become difficult to distinguish, and the paint layer shows signs of deterioration — including pigment loss. One of the vault’s spandrels is particularly damaged. It’s time to act!
Il est devenu très difficile de distinguer les couleurs et les scènes. On note une détérioration de la couche picturale, une altération des pigments. Un des écoinçons de la voûte est même très endommagé. Il est temps d’agir !
This restoration will follow a series of projects completed in recent years at Saint-Sulpice:
- Saint Anne Chapel (2022)
- Saint Joseph Chapel (2023)
- Saint Maurice Chapel (2024)
- Chapel of the Virgin (2024)
- Chapelle Sainte Geneviève en 2024
- Saint Martin Chapel (2025)
- Saint Denis Chapel (2025)
Help us!
Estimated Project Duration
6 months
Estimated Cost
€450 000
SOUTENIR LA RESTAURATION DE LA CHAPELLE
Don d'une œuvre d'art
Avantage fiscal
- Pour le donateur de l'œuvre
- Reçu fiscal (Cerfa n°11580)
- Réduction d'Impôt sur le Revenu de 66% du montant du don (particulier : dans la limite de 20% du revenu imposable) ou réduction d'Impôt sur les Sociétés de 60% du montant du don (entreprise : dans la limite de 20 000 € ou de 0,5% du CA HT si ce montant est plus élevé)
- Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière : réduction de 75% du montant du don dans la limite de 50 000 € par an
- la base de calcul du montant du don est déterminée par l'estimation du commissaire-priseur
Don numéraire pour adopter un élément du décor
Avantage fiscal
- Levée de fonds dont le produit est totalement défiscalisable
- Reçu fiscal (Cerfa n°11580)
- Réduction d'Impôt sur le Revenu de 66% du montant du don (particulier : dans la limite de 20% du revenu imposable) ou réduction d'Impôt sur les Sociétés de 60% du montant du don (entreprise : dans la limite de 20 000 € ou de 0,5% du CA HT si ce montant est plus élevé)
- Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière : réduction de 75% du montant du don dans la limite de 50 000 € par an
Quand ?
- Le soir de l'inauguration de l'exposition
LE PROGRAMME D'ADOPTION
Les parois de la chapelle et la voûte sont ornées de scènes, personnages et détails. En parrainant l’un d’eux vous contribuez à sa restauration !
Adopter la restauration de
l'une des fleurs
Une trentaine de fleurs ornent le sol de la scène où Saint-Louis rend justice sous le chêne de Vincennes. En faisant un don de 150€ ou plus vous pourrez adopter l’une d’entre elles !
Pyrola
Marguerite
L'ÉQUIPE DU PROJET
Saint-Sulpice
P. Henri de La Hougue, curé de Saint-Sulpice
Louis Jullien, régisseur général
Maison Aguttes
Me Claude Aguttes, commissaire-priseur, président et fondateur de la maison de ventes
Maximilien Aguttes, directeur associé
Juliette Rode, commissaire-priseur et responsable du bureau du 6e arrondissement
Fondation Avenir du Patrimoine à Paris
Ségolène Stutz, chargée de mécénat
Secrétariat général
Dominique Darras
Coordination
Alexandra de Léal
Ville de Paris
Véronique Milande, conservateur du Patrimoine, responsable de la COARC
Paul Percetti, responsable du mécénat pour la Ville de Paris
Mairie du 6e
Jean-Pierre Lecoq, maire
Tristan Perrier, collaborateur de cabinet
PARTENAIRES
