Croix derrière l'église
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix derrière l'église, located in Larré (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
- Larré, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.7119, -2.5154
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091362
Joyau sculpté du XVe siècle, cette croix monumentale de Larré déploie un programme iconographique d'une rare densité : Christ en croix, Vierge à l'Enfant et saint Christophe se répondent dans un cadre en quatrefeuilles à redents.
History
Standing behind the church in Larré, Morbihan, this monumental cross is one of the finest examples of Breton sculpture from the late Middle Ages. Discreet at first glance, it reveals to those who approach it an exceptionally rich iconographic composition, organised on two distinct sides and set within a carefully designed architectural framework. The attentive visitor will first discover the main side, where the crucified Christ occupies the centre of the quatrefoil medallion, flanked by the weeping Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist in the traditional layout of the Deploration. This classical group is treated with the sensitivity typical of Breton late Gothic workshops: the faces express restrained grief, the draperies fall in sober but skilfully sculpted folds. The back of the work is the real surprise. Here, Christ is depicted seated, in a less common posture, surrounded by the instruments of the Passion - arma Christi - arranged on either side: the flagellum column, the centurion's spear, the cross, the nails and the reed, each held by angels in collected attitudes. This composition, known as the "Man of Sorrows", bears witness to a theology of meditation on the Passion that was at the heart of popular Breton piety at the end of the 15th century. At the top of the quatrefoil, a Virgin and Child crowns the ensemble, and behind her looms the tall figure of Saint Christopher carrying the Infant Jesus - two heavenly intercessors united on the same pinnacle. This superimposition of Marian and hagiographic devotion is characteristic of Breton parish crosses, which served as centres of communal devotion as well as landmarks in the rural landscape. Listed as a historic monument since 1939, the Larré cross can be visited freely in the cemetery or parish enclosure where it is located. It is part of a long tradition of parish enclosures in Morbihan, less famous than those in Finistère but just as moving in their preserved authenticity.
Architecture
The Larré cross is organised according to a tripartite plan typical of Breton crosses from the late Middle Ages: a shaft (column) bearing an intermediate knot, surmounted by a head sculpted into four leaves with redents. This geometric frame - whose four rounded lobes flare out into elegant points thanks to the redents - is itself structured into three zones corresponding to the shaft, the arms and the head, creating an architectural unity into which the sculpted compositions are inserted. The festooned arches of the redents lend a Gothic lightness that visually lightens the mass of stone. The two sides of the head form the iconographic heart of the work. The main side features, in the central medallion, a classic Crucifixion with Christ on the cross between the Virgin and Saint John, a composition known as "Calvary with three figures". The rear side, which is rarer, depicts Christ in sorrowful majesty seated among the arma Christi - cross, column, spear, nails, reed - held by two symmetrical angels in a quasi-theatrical setting. These reliefs bear witness to meticulous carving, with moderate depth work suited to outdoor viewing. At the top of the quatrefoil is a full-length statue of the Virgin and Child - a recurring motif on crosses in Morbihan - with a St Christopher behind her, a clever iconographic solution that optimises the available space while increasing the number of divine intercessors. The shaft, which is not original, is probably made of cut granite, dating back to a modern or earlier restoration. The whole thing was originally intended to be over two metres high, the usual scale for this type of parish cross, which was intended to be a focal point in the landscape of the enclosure.
Related Figures
Sculpteur anonyme breton (atelier vannetais, fin XVe siècle) — auteur présumé de la tête sculptéeCommanditaire paroissial anonyme (fabrique de Larré, vers 1475-1500) — donateur probable de la croixInspecteurs des Monuments historiques (arrêté de 1939) — responsables de la protection officielleSaint Christophe — représenté au revers du couronnement, saint patron des voyageurs invoqué sur la croixLa Vierge Marie — figurée en Vierge à l'Enfant au sommet, intercesseur principal de la dévotion paroissiale
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix derrière l'église located?
Croix derrière l'église is located in Larré, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix derrière l'église built?
Croix derrière l'église dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix derrière l'église open to visitors?
Croix derrière l'église is currently closed to visitors.
