Croix de cimetière
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix de cimetière, located in Bourseul (Département 22), 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
- Bourseul, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4870, -2.2622
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089038
In the heart of the Bourseul cemetery, this 18th-century cross reveals the sculpted symbols of the four Evangelists on its base - a rare iconographic programme that makes it much more than a simple funerary monument.
History
Discreet yet striking, the cemetery cross in Bourseul stands in the tranquil setting of the old Breton cemetery in this market town in the Côtes-d'Armor region of Brittany. Erected in the 18th century, it belongs to the deeply rooted tradition in Brittany of monumental crosses that line parish enclosures, crossroads and burial grounds, silent witnesses to a popular faith sculpted in stone. What immediately sets this cross apart from its regional counterparts is the rich iconography of its base. Where many cemetery crosses are content with a simple shaft or smooth pedestal, Bourseul's cross bears the engraved attributes of the four Evangelists: Matthew's angel, Mark's lion, Luke's bull and John's eagle - the famous Tetramorph, a direct legacy of the prophetic visions of Ezekiel and John's Apocalypse. This elaborate symbolic programme gives the ensemble a theological dimension that is rare for a monument of this size and type. A visit to this cross is a natural part of a stroll through Bourseul, a quiet village in the Penthièvre region of Brittany. Visitors should take the time to look at each side of the base to identify the evangelical figures and read in the stone the spiritual message that the anonymous sculptor inscribed there with obvious care. The green setting of the cemetery, often shaded by old yew or oak trees, reinforces the feeling of an intimate encounter with Breton popular sacred art. Protected as a Historic Monument since 1926, this cross bears witness to the early determination of the French state to preserve the rural heritage of Brittany, too often overlooked by the general public in favour of cathedrals and castles. Yet it represents the very essence of the daily devotion of Breton farmers and craftsmen, who commissioned local stonemasons to create works of sometimes astonishing quality.
Architecture
The Bourseul cross is based on the classic Breton cemetery cross of the 18th century: a vertical shaft bearing a Latin cross, resting on a monumental prismatic base. It is precisely this base that forms the centrepiece of the architectural and sculptural ensemble. Each of its four sides features a bas-relief or light sculpture in the round of an attribute of one of the Evangelists: Matthew's winged angel, Mark's winged lion, Luke's winged bull and John's eagle - the complete Tetramorph, an iconographic programme of remarkable theological coherence for a building of this scale. The material used is most likely Breton granite, which is omnipresent in buildings and sculpture in the Côtes-d'Armor region. Its resistance to the Atlantic weather explains in part the good conservation of the reliefs despite three centuries of exposure to the elements. The sober yet expressive style of the sculptures bears witness to an experienced hand, capable of synthesising medieval tradition and 18th-century classical vocabulary in a language accessible to the faithful. The cross itself, sober in form, probably bears traces of old polychromy that has now disappeared, as was the custom for many Breton crosses and calvaries. As a whole, the cross exudes a strong verticality, dominating the cemetery and providing a visual landmark from the outskirts of the town.
Related Figures
Recteur de la paroisse de Bourseul au XVIIIe siècle (commanditaire probable, identité non conservée)Tailleur de pierre breton anonyme (sculpteur du Tétramorphe)Membres de la confrérie paroissiale locale (financeurs possibles de l'érection)Inspecteur des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier de protection en 1926
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix de cimetière located?
Croix de cimetière is located in Bourseul, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix de cimetière built?
Croix de cimetière dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix de cimetière open to visitors?
Croix de cimetière is currently closed to visitors.