Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard
MonumentHidden Treasure
Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard, located in Meslan (Département 56), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Meslan, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.9781, -3.4514
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091444
A monumental fragment of Breton piety, this ancient Bonigeard Calvary preserves, set in granite, the poignant remains of a Passion carved between the 15th and 16th centuries.
History
In the heart of rural Morbihan, in the commune of Meslan, the ancient Bonigeard Calvary belongs to that singular tradition that made Brittany the land of monumental calvaries. Although time and the vicissitudes of history have reduced it to a fragment, what remains bears striking eloquent witness to the sculptural fervour that animated Breton workshops at the turn of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Calvary can no longer be contemplated in its original integrity, but its remains exert a particular fascination. The rectangular plinth still holds the bases of the crosses of Christ and the thieves, while a number of scattered figures - a Virgin, a thief, the upper part of Christ, a medallion with the face of the Saviour - evoke, like so many scattered relics, the grandeur of the original composition. Here, visitors have to use their imagination as much as their eyes. Among these fragments, the sculpture of Jesus carrying his cross stands out for the quality of its execution. The modelling of the face, the tension of the body under the weight of the wood, reveal the hand of a Breton sculptor familiar with the iconographic codes of the Passion, while at the same time imbuing it with a sensibility specific to the region. This type of representation, characteristic of the great parish calvaries of Finistère and Morbihan, finds here a sober but profoundly human expression. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1933, the Bonigeard Calvary is protected to ensure the preservation of its surviving elements. For enthusiasts of Breton religious heritage or lovers of medieval art, it is a discreet but valuable stop-off on the granite roads of Morbihan, far from the crowds that flock to the calvaries of Guimiliau or Pleyben.
Architecture
The Bonigeard Calvary stands on a rectangular granite base, a material that is ubiquitous in religious architecture in the Morbihan region. This type of base, typical of Breton calvaries from the late Middle Ages, served as a raised platform to visually distinguish the monument in the public space and give it a strong symbolic presence. The bases of the crosses of Christ and the thieves, which are still in place, provide a mental representation of the original elevation: a central cross dominating two lateral crosses, a classic Trinitarian arrangement of the Passion. The surviving sculptures are carved directly from local granite, a stone that is difficult to work but exceptionally durable. The group of Jesus carrying the cross, considered to be the centrepiece of the Calvary, demonstrates a mastery of volume and expression. The cul-de-lampe featuring the face of Christ, a decorative and symbolic element, is reminiscent of the representations of the Holy Face popular throughout medieval Christian Europe. The fragments of the Virgin Mary and the thief complete an iconographic ensemble that, in its original state, must have included several dozen figures spread across the different registers of the monument.
Related Figures
Sculpteurs bretons anonymes des XVe-XVIe siècles, artisans de la tradition des calvaires paroissiauxSeigneurs locaux de Meslan, probables commanditaires du monumentMembres de la fabrique paroissiale de Meslan, gardiens et financeurs de l'édificeÉrudits de la Société Polymathique du Morbihan, qui contribuèrent à signaler l'intérêt patrimonial du calvaire au XIXe siècle
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard located?
Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard is located in Meslan, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard built?
Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard open to visitors?
Ancien calvaire de Bonigeard is currently closed to visitors.