Montault , XAVIER BARBIER BE, b. at Loudun, February 6, 1830; d. at Blaslay, Vienne (France), March 29, 1901. He came of a noble and large family, and, when only eight years old, was confided to the care of his great-uncle, Msgr. Montault des Isles, Bishop of Angers. He studied theology at the Semi-nary of St. Sulpice, and went to Rome to continue his studies in theology and archaeology at the Sapienza and the Roman College. After four years his health obliged him to return to France (1857), where he was appointed historiographer of the Diocese of Angers. He searched the archives of the diocese with great diligence, studied its inscriptions and monuments, and founded a diocesan museum, a project in which de Caumont took a lively interest. Another sojourn of fourteen years in Rome (1861-75) enabled him to augment his already extensive knowledge of liturgy and Christian antiquities. Meanwhile he was of great service to different French bishops as canonical consultor, and at the Vatican Council acted as theologian to Msgr. Desfleches, Bishop of Angers. His first archaeological study appeared in 1851 in the “Annales archeologiques”, and Didron assigned him the task of making an index for this publication. Msgr. Barbier de Montault was one of the most prolific contributors to the “Revue de l’art chretien” from the inception of this periodical, his articles continuing to appear until 1903 (two years after his death). He also wrote numerous articles for other reviews as well as several separate works on iconography, ecclesiastical furniture, liturgy, canon law, etc. In 1889 he began to reprint his scattered works, classifying them according to subjects. This publication was to comprise sixty volumes, but went no further than the sixteenth, and is to be recommended more for its erudition than for its critical value. Works: “Oeuvres completes” (unfinished): I. “Inventaires ecclesiastiques”; II. “Le Vatican“; III. “Le Pape”; IV—V. “Droit papal”; VI—VIII. “Devotions populaires”; IX—XVI. “Hagiographic” (Rome, 1889-1902); “Traite d’iconographie chretienne” (2 vols., Paris, 1890); “Collection des decrets authentiques des ss. congregations romaines” (8 vols., Rome, 1872).
R. MAERE