In the silence of the Saint-Barthélémy church, in Laplume, the old painting had been waiting for years for people to show interest in it again. Weakened by time, obscured by a yellowed varnish, the 17th century canvas representing The Entombment of Christ has just experienced a spectacular comeback. The work won the Nouvelle-Aquitaine edition of the national competition “The Greatest Museum of France”, organized by Allianz France and the Safeguarding of French Art, winning in the process a grant of 8,000 euros intended to finance its restoration. A symbolic gesture for the town, whose religious heritage often remains little known beyond the Agen territory. “We were surprised by the scale of the mobilization”recognized Mayor Séverine Coudert when handing over the check. “Seeing so many people come together around a work that many were finally discovering for the first time was extremely powerful.”
The result actually exceeded all expectations. With 3,421 votes collected out of the approximately 7,300 votes cast in the region, Laplume’s painting largely dominated the public vote. A remarkable performance for a town of less than 1,400 inhabitants. This popular mobilization allowed the Lot-et-Garonnaise organization to prevail over other regional candidates who were based in more populated and more touristy areas. “The painting was not necessarily the favorite at the startâ€reminded the municipality. “But the dynamic was created very quickly around the project. HAS” Nationally, the 2025-2026 edition of the competition broke records with more than 132,000 votes recorded, a significant increase compared to the previous year. Each year, sixteen works spread across France benefit from financial support for their preservation.
A work marked by the centuries
Listed as a Historic Monument since 1978, the painting belongs to a set of three religious works preserved by the commune. Inspired by the major trends in sacred painting of the 17th century, the scene represents Christ after his descent from the cross, surrounded by the Virgin Mary, Saint John and Mary Magdalene. “The quality of the composition and the emotional power that emerges from it” greatly helped in the recognition of this painting. “The play of light, the contrasts and the treatment of the drapes contribute to the dramatic intensity of the scene.†But the state of conservation of the work was becoming worrying. Deformations of the canvas, tears, traces of humidity, alterations of the pictorial layer… The painting required rapid intervention to avoid irreversible deterioration. The restoration, estimated at approximately 17,000 euros, will be entrusted to the restorer Béatrice Byer-Bayle, based in Colomiers. This first step could then pave the way for the restoration of the two other paintings making up the triptych. Because if we often talk about the great monuments, they are also these discreet works; present in small towns, which tell the history of our territories.
