Photographer: Hubert Barre

Hubert Barre: Silent Witnesses of Monastic Life

These art photographs, taken in the monasteries of Sénanque, Aiguebelle and Notre-Dame des Neiges in the Ardèche, reveal the inner life of the monks. Hubert Barre, photographer, captures prayer, solitude, peace and life in God with rare sensitivity. His images are the visual echo of a society in turbulence, offering in counterpoint the serenity of a cloistered and withdrawn existence.

In the secrecy of monastic enclosures, monks live an orderly life, dedicated to carrying the world in a living faith. The signs of prayer and the divine presence are manifested in every shot. The monks’ day is punctuated by six daily prayers, from the first at 3:30 a.m. to the last at 8 p.m., interspersed with moments of rest. These dedicated acts constitute the essence of monasteries, where the monks live from their work, watching over the surroundings, the storehouse, and the maintenance of the premises.

Their moments of deep reading take place in a vast library, another dimension of their devotion. Through his images, Hubert Barre seeks to show not only the signs of their consecrated life, but also the presence of God that permeates their daily lives. It reveals both their common life and their secret life, invisible to profane eyes.

To create this series, Hubert Barre devoted four years of work, combining the analogue approach and digital finalization. His photographs are silent testimonies of monastic life, inviting peaceful and profound contemplation.