Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église, located in Pleucadeuc (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
- Pleucadeuc, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.7591, -2.3752
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091477
A jewel of 16th-century Breton sculpture, this sculpted granite cross-banner from Pleucadeuc reveals a Christ on the Cross and a Virgin and Child of rare finesse, silent witnesses to the popular faith of the Middle Ages.
History
Standing behind the church in Pleucadeuc, Morbihan, this monumental 16th-century cross belongs to the large family of Breton banner crosses, stone sculptures that have punctuated the religious landscape of the Armorican peninsula for centuries. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1928, it bears witness to the excellence of local granite carvers and the liveliness of popular devotion during the Renaissance. What immediately sets this cross apart from its peers is the richness of its iconography. Each of its two sides is a veritable sculpted miniature: on one side, the Crucifixion scene with Christ flanked by the Virgin and Saint John in a peaceful Trinitarian composition; on the other, the Virgin and Child standing, surrounded by two praying orants, thus offering the faithful a double face of the Christian faith. The rectangular medallion surmounted by a gable roof decorated with a Gothic trilobe adds a rare touch of architectural elegance. The experience of visiting the church is intimate and contemplative. Nestled in the calm of the parish church's chevet, the cross is bathed in light that is often subdued by the surrounding vegetation, creating an atmosphere conducive to contemplation. Over the centuries, granite, the king material of inland Brittany, has taken on the slate-grey hue and golden lichens that give these monuments an almost living presence. Visitors should take the time to walk all the way round the cross to appreciate the dual nature of its sculpted message and the quality of the workmanship of the cylindrical shaft, its moulded capital and the high 1.10 metre pedestal that anchors it solemnly in Breton soil. A monument modest in size, immense in significance.
Architecture
The Pleucadeuc cross is an accomplished example of the Breton banner cross as it developed in the 16th century. Its vertical organisation follows a classic but carefully executed plan: a high pedestal 1.10 metres high anchors the whole in the ground, topped by a slender cylindrical shaft topped by a moulded capital with sober lines. Together, these features give the cross a balanced silhouette that is both robust and graceful. The most remarkable feature is undoubtedly the rectangular medallion that tops the shaft. This medallion, a sculpted frame for the two scenes depicted, is topped by a "bâtière" roof - a shape reminiscent of a small triangular gable - adorned with a trilobe, a three-lobed motif of flamboyant Gothic inspiration that persisted in Breton art long after the Italian Renaissance. This detail reveals the persistence of Gothic traditions in regional workshops, which assimilated new influences without ever abandoning their ancestral formal repertoire. The sculpted iconography on both sides forms the heart of the monument. The main face shows the Crucifixion with Christ on the Cross flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, a group known as the "Calvary", which is the Christological representation par excellence. The opposite side shows the Virgin and Child standing between two figures in a praying position, a Marian composition that offered the faithful a second focus of devotion. The mastery of the granite carver can be seen in the hierarchy of the figures and the legibility of the gestures, despite the constraints of the material.
Related Figures
Artisan-sculpteur breton anonyme du XVIe siècle, auteur présumé de la croixMembres de la confrérie paroissiale de Pleucadeuc, commanditaires supposés de l'œuvreInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques de 1928, responsables de la protection officielle
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église located?
Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église is located in Pleucadeuc, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église built?
Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église open to visitors?
Croix du 16e siècle située derrière l'église is currently closed to visitors.