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This triptych, commonly known as both the Passion of the Christ and the Calvary of Hattonchâtel, by Ligier Richier (1500?–1567) is located in the village's Église collégiale de Saint-Maur (St Martin). Generally thought to have been carved in 1523, it is an early work of Ligier Richier, considered one of the most significant French sculptors of the Renaissance. Because of the emotional intensity and anatomical precision of his work, Richier is sometimes compared to Michelangelo.
The 2.6 meter by 1.6 meter sculpture shows three episodes from the Passion: Christ carrying the cross, His Crucifixion, and Christ's dead body in the arms of his mother. The base of the altar piece reads: "XPS: Passus est nobis relinquens exemplum Vt sequamini vestigia": "For he (Christ) suffered for us. Leaving us an example, that we may follow in his footsteps."
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| Present Day Église at Hattonchâtel |
Hattonchâtel is a hilltop village in the canton of Vigneulles, which was located in the heart of what came to be known as the St. Mihiel Salient during the Great War. It was occupied by the German Army from the war's start until September 1918. Early in the war, the Église was struck by either a bomb or artillery shell. This triggered great anxiety over Richier's masterpiece. The details of what happened subsequently are unclear, but at some point the German authorities allowed the removal of the piece and its temporary relocation to the city of Metz, which was safely in the rear. It was placed in the local chapel of the Knights Templar for the duration and later returned to its original location, where it can be viewed today.
After creating the Passion, Richier spent the next 30 years creating marvelous works of art—primarily religious—for sites throughout the Lorraine. Late in his life, however, he was persecuted for his Protestant beliefs and had to flee to Switzerland, where he passed away in 1567.
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