Banquet of Jupille

The painting is also known as Saint Lambert at the Banquet of Pepin of Herstal,^[10][1] and Saint Lambert and Alpaide.^[1] It is a large-format oil painting, measuring 390 cm (150 in) × 470 cm (190 in). It depicts Saint Lambert, the bishop of Maastricht in 705 CE. Standing, he is seen addressing Pepin of Herstal and his second wife Alpaide. By having Alpaïde at his side in place of his legitimate wife Plectrude, Pepin defied the laws of the Church, and Alpaide mixed her cup with those of the other guests to have it blessed by Lambert through trickery.^[11][12][13] In 1843, Étienne de Gerlache provided a more detailed description of the legend which served as inspiration for the painter in his work History of Liège from Caesar to Maximilian of Bavaria. He describes how Pepin, one day when he was in Jupille with his court, sent for Lambert. The bishop goes to the palace, and discovered preparations for a huge feast, and he is welcomed by Pepin and Alpaide. As the guests take their seats at the banquet, Pepin asks Lambert to bless his cup first. He is soon imitated by all the courtiers, who also pass their cups to the bishop, and Alpaide also furtively slips hers among the others. But Lambert notices Alpaide's maneuver and says to Pepin, "See the impudence of this woman, whose presence here is a public scandal, and who would like to make me her accomplice!". With these words, he abruptly leaves the table, and exits the palace.^[14]

The Jupille episode was mentioned previously in Liège historiography by Theodose Bouille in 1725 in the first volume of his History of the City and Country of Liège,^[15][16] and by Louis Dewez in 1822 in the first volume of his History of the Country of Liège.^[15][17] Philippe George, assistant at the University of Liège and curator of the Treasury of St.Paul's Cathedral, believes that it is difficult to know the artist's exact motivations.^[15]

Once completed, the work was exhibited at the Antwerp Salon from 4 August 1861 to 30 September 1861.^[18] In December of the same year, it was installed at the municipal museum of Liège.^[19] The painting was exhibited in 1862 in Berlin.^[20] It remained in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts at Liege,^[21] before passing into the collections of the Walloon Art Museum when the latter was created in 1952.^[10] At the Walloon Art Museum, it was rolled on a plywood cylinder, and stored.^[19] The painting is currently on display at St.Paul's Cathedral in Liège.^[22] It went through an extensive restoration process that began in April 1996, and was opened for display on 5 September 1996 as part of the commemorations of the death of Saint Lambert.^[23]

• Folville, Marie-Luce; Folville, Hugues; Folville, Jacques (1997). "Saint Lambert au banquet de Jupille" [Saint Lambert and banquet of Jupille] (PDF). Bulletin de la société royale (in French). 13 (276). Liège: 597–599.
• George, Philippe (1997). "Saint Lambert au banquet de Jupille" [Saint Lambert and banquet of Jupille] (PDF). Bulletin de la société royale (in French). 13 (276). Liège: 586–596.
• Kupper, Jean-Louis; George, Philippe (2006). La Renaissance du Livre (ed.). Saint Lambert : de l'histoire à la légende [Saint Lambert: History of a Legend] (in French). Bruxelles. ISBN 978-2-87415-637-3. OCLC 1010226932.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Livin, Séverine (1 October 2001). "Chauvin Auguste (Liège, 1810-1884)". Biographies (in French). Vers la modernité.
• Nor., H.; Lemaître, Victor (6 April 1873). "Auguste Chauvin" (PDF). Le Rasoir (in French). Cinquième année (94). Liège: 2.