Croix du 16e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix du 16e siècle, located in Saint-Nolff (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-Nolff, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6948, -2.6800
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091699
A jewel of 16th-century Breton sculpture, the banner cross at Saint-Colombier displays an iconographic programme of rare density, combining Passion, Resurrection and mysterious knights in stone.
History
Standing beside the chapel of Saint-Colombier, on the bucolic outskirts of Saint-Nolff in Morbihan, the 16th-century banner cross is one of the most unusual works of religious sculpture in inland Brittany. Far from being a simple crossroads calvary, it is a veritable stone book for the people of the countryside: each side tells the story, through images, of the essential mysteries of the Christian faith, from the Passion to the Resurrection, with a lively narrative that rivals the great parish enclosures of Finistère. What makes this cross absolutely unique is the density and variety of its sculpted scenes, which go beyond the usual liturgical framework to verge on the enigmatic. On the back, an unusual panel features a monk, three armed knights and a figure wearing a turban, a composition that still intrigues art historians. Was it an allusion to the Crusades, a special commission from a local noble family, or an episode from the life of a local saint? The question remains open, giving this monument an aura of mystery that fascinates as much as it questions. The visitor experience is intimate and contemplative. The site, dominated by the rural chapel of Saint-Colombier, is bathed in the silence typical of Breton country devotional sites. You turn slowly around the cross, discovering a veritable stone theatre from front to back: the Valois-style costumes on the cross-bearer, the three evangelists accompanying Christ to limbo, the angels' heads crowning the whole. The grazing morning or evening light reveals the sculptors' relief with brilliance. The natural setting of Saint-Nolff, a verdant commune some twenty kilometres north of Vannes, adds to the peacefulness of the visit. The paths leading to the Saint-Colombier chapel run through hedged farmland and hamlets, immersing visitors in the traditional Breton landscape. For heritage lovers and curious walkers alike, this cross is one of those precious discoveries that you keep jealously to yourself.
Architecture
The Saint-Nolff cross belongs to the family of banner crosses, a type specific to Brittany, characterised by an enlarged upper panel in the shape of a rectangular panel containing scenes sculpted in relief, in the manner of a processional banner translated into stone. This panel is framed by four colonnettes, one of which has unfortunately disappeared, making the whole more difficult to read but testifying to the care originally taken with the architecture of the coping. Flamboyant Gothic braces and sculpted angels' heads crown the composition, before the cross itself rises towards the sky. The rectangular base, the most remarkable feature of the monument, is entirely covered with panels sculpted in bas-relief on all four sides. The iconographic programme developed is exceptionally rich: the Resurrection flanked by a figure with a mitre and a monk on the main face; Christ descending to Limbo accompanied by three evangelists on the right face; the carrying of the Cross animated by numerous figures on the left face; the so-called "enigmatic" scene with a monk, knights and a turbaned figure on the back face. This choice of narrative goes far beyond the classical Passion scene to encompass a complete theological programme, from Christ's death to his victory. The material used is probably kersanton, the fine black stone extracted from the harbour at Brest, or more likely carefully worked local granite, both of which were favoured by Breton sculptors during the Renaissance. The sculpture is skilfully crafted, reflecting the influence of the Landerneau and Quimper workshops, with expressive treatment of the faces and attention to clothing details that make it possible to date the work stylistically.
Related Figures
Sculpteurs anonymes bretons du XVIe siècle, probablement issus des ateliers de sculpture religieuse du Morbihan ou du FinistèreSaint Colombier (Colomban le Jeune), ermite irlandais évangélisateur de Bretagne dont la chapelle voisine perpétue le culteDonateurs anonymes de la famille seigneuriale ou de la confrérie paroissiale de Saint-Nolff, commanditaires présumés de l'œuvreInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant proposé l'inscription en 1929, dans le sillage du mouvement de protection du patrimoine breton rural
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix du 16e siècle located?
Croix du 16e siècle is located in Saint-Nolff, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix du 16e siècle built?
Croix du 16e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix du 16e siècle open to visitors?
Croix du 16e siècle is currently closed to visitors.