Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle, located in Saint-Gonnery (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
- Saint-Gonnery, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1245, -2.8198
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091681
Erected at the end of the 16th century, this granite cross from Saint-Gonnery stands out for its fluted shaft and elegant three-lobed brace with sculpted cabbages, a discreet jewel of Breton sacred art.
History
At the crossroads of ancient roads in the commune of Saint-Gonnery, in deep Morbihan, stands a crossroads whose apparent sobriety conceals a remarkable sculptural richness. Carved from local granite in the last quarter of the 16th century, it belongs to the large family of Breton rural crosses that once lined the roads to protect travellers, mark parish boundaries and invite passers-by to pray. Its presence continues to punctuate the rural landscape with a discretion that commands admiration. What immediately sets this cross apart from so many others is the quality of the craftsmanship of its shaft, which is decorated with longitudinal grooves - a sober but meticulous ornamentation that betrays the hand of a stonemason who has mastered his art perfectly. Far from the austerity that is sometimes associated with Breton statuary, the crown features a three-lobed brace embellished with flowering cabbages and crossettes, a decorative vocabulary borrowed from the flamboyant Gothic architecture that was in vogue in Armorican workshops at the end of the Renaissance. The two sides of the head of the cross offer a complete iconographic programme: on one side Christ on the cross, the central figure of popular devotion, and on the other a figure whose precise identification is open to interpretation - saint or Virgin and Child, depending on the reading - reinforcing the meditative dimension of the work. This iconographic duality is typical of Breton crosses from the late 16th century, which sought to condense the essence of the Christian message into an object that could be seen from a distance. The fact that it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1935 bears witness to the State's recognition of the heritage value of this apparently modest object. In reality, these crosses are irreplaceable witnesses to the religious and social life of rural Brittany under the Ancien Régime. They are also invaluable reference points for understanding the development of sculptural styles outside the major ecclesiastical commissions. A visit to the crossroads at Saint-Gonnery is like stopping for a moment outside the contemporary world, in an unspoilt Morbihan bocage where the grey granite catches the changing light of the Atlantic sky. Photographers and lovers of sacred art will find much to contemplate here, particularly during the golden hours when the stone reveals the relief of each carving.
Architecture
The cross at the Saint-Gonnery crossroads is made entirely of granite, the emblematic stone of inland Brittany, which is particularly abundant in the Pontivy and Rohan region, to which Saint-Gonnery belongs. The local granite, which has a slightly bluish grey tinge, is highly resistant to the Atlantic weather and has a texture that makes it ideal for direct carving. The shaft, the supporting element of the composition, is distinguished by its regularly spaced longitudinal grooves - a decorative motif inspired by the fluting of Antiquity revisited by the Renaissance. This classicist ornamentation coexists with the late Gothic language of the crowning: a three-lobed brace, the slopes of which are enlivened by sculpted cabbages (curled and swollen foliage typical of the Breton flamboyant Gothic style) and crossettes (squared corner returns that punctuate the outline of the brace). This hybrid stylistic assemblage, combining Gothic vocabulary and Renaissance sensibilities, is characteristic of Breton sculptural production in the second half of the 16th century, a period of transition between two aesthetics. The main face of the head of the cross features a Christ on the cross in bas-relief, depicted according to the devotional conventions of the period: slightly arched body, bowed head, knotted perizonium. The reverse features a second sculpted figure whose more static silhouette is reminiscent of a full-length saint or a figure in prayer. The overall quality of the workmanship suggests that it was produced by a specialist workshop, probably one of those active in the Pontivy or Josselin region during this productive period for Morbihan sacred art.
Related Figures
Tailleurs de pierre anonymes de l'école morbihannaise du XVIe siècleDonateurs paroissiaux de Saint-Gonnery (commanditaires probables, fin XVIe siècle)Érudits de la Société polymathique du Morbihan (recenseurs au XIXe siècle)Inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (protection par arrêté du 29 mars 1935)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle located?
Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle is located in Saint-Gonnery, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle built?
Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle open to visitors?
Croix de carrefour du 16e siècle is currently closed to visitors.