Croix des prêtres
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix des prêtres, located in Lanouée (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
- Lanouée, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.0127, -2.5720
- Mérimée Reference
- PA56000008
Erected in the 15th century in the heart of the Morbihan region, the Cross of the Priests of Lanouée displays a sculpted programme of rare quality on both sides: Christ on the Cross on one side, a crowned Virgin and Child on the other.
History
Deep in the Morbihan bocage, on the quiet lanes of Lanouée, the Croix des Prêtres stands out as one of those stone witnesses that you don't expect to come across and that leave a lasting impression. Listed as a Monument Historique since 1996, this fifteenth-century wayside cross packs into its modest size an iconographic density and sculptural mastery that place it well above the ordinary production of Breton calvaries. What makes this cross truly exceptional is the quality of its two sculpted sides, which transform this modest piece of popular devotional equipment into a veritable outdoor altarpiece. On one side, Christ on the Cross is flanked by the weeping Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist in a composition reminiscent of the late Gothic triptychs of the Armorican peninsula. On the other, a crowned Virgin and Child, carved with a gentleness and precision reminiscent of workshops specialising in sculpture on kersanton or granite from Brittany. The experience of visiting is one of intimate contemplation, far from the crowds. Visitors who take the time to walk around the cross will discover two sculpted worlds in dialogue: Passion and Glory, the pain of Good Friday and the tenderness of the Virgin Mary. The base, restored in 1804 and soberly dated, adds another layer of temporality, reminding us that each generation has taken care of this heritage. The hedged farmland of Lanouée, a rural commune nestling between Pontivy and Ploërmel, reinforces the medieval atmosphere of the site. The sunken lanes, oak hedges and subdued light of Central Brittany create a natural setting that seems ideal for this type of itinerant devotion. Photographers and lovers of rural heritage will find plenty here to enjoy.
Architecture
The Priests' Cross belongs to the type of roadside cross with a straight shaft on a plinth, characteristic of late Gothic production in inland Brittany. Carved from local granite, the material of choice for Breton sculptors because of its resistance to the harsh Atlantic weather, the cross features an extensive iconographic programme on both sides, which is relatively rare and an indication of the quality of the commission. The main side, facing the road, depicts Christ on the Cross flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John in a Deploration composition typical of 15th century Gothic iconography. The treatment of the drapery, the gestures of the accompanying figures and the rendering of Christ's anatomy bear witness to a skilled hand, familiar from the religious sculpture workshops active in Brittany at the time. The opposite side features a crowned Virgin and Child, a figure of Marian majesty whose frontal, hieratic treatment recalls the Romanesque Virgins in Majesty, reinterpreted here in a softened flamboyant Gothic vocabulary. The base, which was modified during the restoration work in 1804, bears the date of this intervention, which is visible on its surface. This type of stepped square or rectangular base is typical of crosses in the region. The stylistic coherence of the whole suggests that it was made in a single workshop, probably commissioned by a local ecclesiastical institution with the resources to afford such a meticulously carved programme.
Related Figures
Sculpteur anonyme breton du XVe siècle, auteur des bas-reliefs de qualité exceptionnelleClergé paroissial de Lanouée, commanditaires présumés de la croix au XVe siècleArtisans restaurateurs de 1804, intervenus dans le sillage du Concordat napoléonienNapoléon Bonaparte, dont le Concordat de 1801 rendit possible la restauration de 1804Conservateurs régionaux des Monuments Historiques, artisans de la protection de 1996
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix des prêtres located?
Croix des prêtres is located in Lanouée, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix des prêtres built?
Croix des prêtres dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix des prêtres open to visitors?
Croix des prêtres is currently closed to visitors.
