Study by François-Marius Granet of his painting La Mort de Poussin (The Death of Poussin). Unfortunately, the original, bought by Demidoff, was destroyed in 1945 when his Villa was bombarded. He had bought it to put on display at the Salon of 1834. (the Salon being the state sponsored Parisian exhibitions of painting and sculpture held during the July Monarchy and Second Republic (1831–1851).

The painting depicts the death of French painter Nicolas Poussin in the presence of Cardinal Massimo. At the left, over the head of the dying painter you can see Poussin’s most famous work: the second version of The Shepherd’s of Arcadia.

From the same painting, an etching was made by Félix Braquemond. Many thanks to Belgian researcher Kurt Impens for sharing this with me.

©2007-2008 rlcresearch.com, all rights reserved Photo copyright by Bernard Terlay of the Granet Museum, special thanks to Frédéric Premartin for sharing it.

This 17th century painting of Mary Magdalene was found in a private house in Limoux. It depicts her with her eyes closed, leaning on a skull covered in a bright red mantle. Besides her stands something that looks like the Grail or an urn with a bearded head depicted on it. Based on the view, French researchers concluded this scene depicts an actual grotto in Mount Cardou.

©2007-2008 rlcresearch.com, all rights reserved, picture reproduced with kind permission of Jean-Luc Robin

According to Jean-Pierre Deloux and Jacques Brétigny, this drawing once decorated the church in Rennes-les-Bains. It shows a pope, copied from a well-known deck of Tarot Cards. Behind him is the church of Rennes-les-Bains, seen from the cemetery, with the rock of Cap de l’Homme in the distance. The features are unmistakable. The cross, the barred window and the rock can easily be recognised.

©2007-2008 rlcresearch.com, all rights reserved, picture copyright Jean-Pierre Deloux

This painting of St. Anthony the Hermit was painted by an artist from Toulon in Saunière’s time. It belonged to a very close friend of the Abbé. It was tracked down by Jean-Luc Robin, who ran the guesthouse in the Villa Bethania for a long time and is very well introduced in the mystery.

The scene shows remarkable similarities with the Grotte du Fournet dite de la Magdeleine, close by in the Ruisseau des Couleurs in both the rectangular entrance and the setting of the ravine.

©2007-2008 rlcresearch.com, all rights reserved, photo shown with kind permission of Jean-Luc Robin

Portrait of Lady Anson of Shugborough Hall by Thomas Hudson in 1751. Lady Anson is holding a pencil drawing of Nicolas Poussin’s first version of the Shepherds of Arcadia without the additions that were put on the Shugborough Monument.

©2007-2008 rlcresearch.com, all rights reserved