Ordre des Prêcheurs

Among the most remarkable buildings ever erected in medieval France is the church of the Dominican Order at Toulouse, better known to most as the Jacobin Church. Its division by a central row of seven columnar piers into two naves of equal length, width, and height is an unusual feature and one that has elicited, not surprisingly, much scholarly speculation concerning the origin and purpose of so unconventional a plan. Although features such as the magnificent palm-like vault over the apse, the great height of the piers, and the remarkable stylistic unity of the fabric compel admiration, even awe, the Jacobin Church has not lacked critics. Admittedly, the presence of a central colonnade in a church building can be disconcerting; not only does it partially block the worshippers’ view of the apse, but the central spine of supports can also obscure the view of the screened high altar, whether situated at the center of the apse or midway the length of one of the vessels. Such a conspicuous visual impediment would seem to explain, at leat upon initial consideration, why a monument as bold and majestic as the Jacobin Church of Toulouse did not, as Elie Lambert long ago noted, “create a school” among the Dominicans in France.