Cimetière de Saint-Aubin
MonumentHidden Treasure
Cimetière de Saint-Aubin, located in Plumelec (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
- Plumelec, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8468, -2.5798
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091540
In the heart of the Morbihan region, the Saint-Aubin cemetery in Plumelec is home to a remarkable 16th-century cross with a frame, a masterpiece of Breton sculpture featuring Christ and a crowned Virgin and Child.
History
Nestling in the peaceful market town of Plumelec, in the heart of Morbihan, the Saint-Aubin cemetery is home to a treasure trove of deceptively discreet stones. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1928, this place of remembrance owes its fame to a monumental cross of great singularity: the cross with a bâtière, whose gable-roofed shape evokes both protective shelter and the solemnity of the sacred. What makes this monument truly unique among the countless cemetery crosses in Brittany is the quality and duality of its iconographic programme. On a carefully carved cylindrical shaft rises a cross in the form of a bâtière - a triangular covering characteristic of certain Breton crosses - on which two divine figures face each other: on one side, Christ on the Cross, represented with the hieratic gravity typical of the sculptors of the Breton Renaissance; on the other, the Virgin holding the Christ Child, both crowned, in a composition of great tenderness and remarkable technical mastery. To visit this cemetery is to immerse yourself in the spiritual and artistic depths of rural Brittany in the 16th century. The atmosphere is contemplative and timeless, far removed from the hustle and bustle of tourism. Informed visitors should turn slowly around the shaft to discover the two sides of the same mystery, two views of the living who have come to honour their dead for centuries. Plumelec is set in moorland and hedged farmland, a few kilometres from Locminé, in an area rich in rural religious heritage. A visit to the Saint-Aubin cemetery is a natural part of a tour of the parish enclosures and Breton crosses of inland Morbihan, offering an intimate and moving introduction to this singular funerary art that Brittany has brought to an incomparable degree of refinement.
Architecture
The cross in the Saint-Aubin cemetery is of the so-called "bâtière cross" type, characterised by its triangular gable-roofed cross, reminiscent of the gable of a miniature church nave. This unusual roofing gives the cross an instantly recognisable silhouette and an impression of architectural solidity that sets it apart from ordinary Latin crosses. The shaft is cylindrical in cross-section, a formal treatment that breaks with the more common prismatic or ribbed shafts, and reflects an elegant approach, perhaps influenced by the shapes of the ancient column. The sculpture is spread over the two main sides of the cross: to the east, a Christ on the Cross with expressive features typical of the Breton school of the 16th century; to the west, a Virgin and Child, both depicted with crowns, a royal and celestial attribute that underlines the triumphant and Marian dimension of the iconographic programme. The material used is probably granite, the dominant stone in monumental sculpture in Morbihan, renowned for its resistance to the weather on the Atlantic coast and its ability to withstand careful carving. The whole structure rests on a discreet base or step, anchored in the cemetery ground like an immovable spiritual landmark amidst the graves. The overall proportions of the cross are harmonious and measured, testifying to a workshop that perfectly mastered the formal codes of Breton Renaissance funerary statuary.
Related Figures
Artisan ou sculpteur breton anonyme du XVIe siècle, auteur présumé de la croixParoissiens de Plumelec commanditaires de la croix au XVIe siècleInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier d'inscription en 1928Saint Aubin, évêque d'Angers au VIe siècle, patron titulaire de la paroisse
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cimetière de Saint-Aubin located?
Cimetière de Saint-Aubin is located in Plumelec, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Cimetière de Saint-Aubin built?
Cimetière de Saint-Aubin dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Cimetière de Saint-Aubin open to visitors?
Cimetière de Saint-Aubin is currently closed to visitors.