Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918
MonumentHidden Treasure
Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918, located in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande (Gironde), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8399, 0.2216
- Mérimée Reference
- PA33000180
In Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, a heartbreakingly tender war memorial: a grandfather holding the pierced helmet of his son who died in the war, while his grandson looks on. A work by Jean Camus, listed as a Historic Monument.
History
In the heart of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, a bastide town in the Gironde, stands one of France's most moving war memorials. Inaugurated in 1923, it does not celebrate victory or glorify the sacrifice of war with martial emphasis: instead, it chooses the path of intimacy, of family mourning, of shattered daily life. This monument, shared by the communes of Sainte-Foy-la-Grande and Pineuilh, is in itself the embodiment of the human tragedy of the Great War. The scene sculpted by Jean Camus has a rare narrative force. A grandfather, seated with his back against a wall on which vines hang - a symbol of the land of Gironde, of transmission and the passing of time - holds in his hands a helmet pierced by a shell. Opposite him, a little boy stares at the object, perhaps trying to understand what his young memory cannot yet grasp: the absence of his father. In this stance of absolute simplicity, Jean Camus succeeds in condensing all that war leaves behind: entire generations marked by an emptiness. This artistic choice contrasts with the dominant production of the time, which often favoured the standing, proud, victorious or heroic fallen soldier. Here, war is shown not in the instant of sacrifice, but in its duration, in its trace. The visitor is not contemplating a soldier: he is observing the pain of those who remain. This humanist approach gives the work a universality that no doubt explains why it was listed as a Historic Monument in 2014. The stone frame, set against a green wall, blends discreetly into the urban fabric of the old bastide, without being ostentatious. It's almost like discovering a secret, which adds to the intensity of the encounter. Photographers, history buffs, families and simple walkers will all find something to reflect on and reflect on. An essential stop-off for anyone interested in the memorial heritage of twentieth-century France.
Architecture
The Sainte-Foy-la-Grande war memorial is a realistic and intimate sculptural work, typical of the artistic productions of the inter-war period, which sought to humanise commemoration after the trauma of 14-18. The whole piece is designed as a bas-relief or sculpted group leaning against a masonry wall, a classic device that gives the work a simple architectural framework, focusing all the attention on the central figurative composition. Vines climb the stone wall, integrating the monument into a plant environment evocative of the Gironde region and the cycle of life. The sculpture itself, by Jean Camus, depicts two figures in high relief or in the round: a seated old man, bent with grief or age, and a young child standing opposite him. The military helmet pierced by a shell, held in their hands or resting on the grandfather's lap, is the pivotal element of the composition, the tangible symbol of the death of the absent father. The anatomy of the figures, the quality of the drapery and the expressions, as well as the narrative staging, testify to a solid technical mastery and a desire for immediate legibility for a popular audience. The materials used are probably limestone or sandstone, materials commonly used in Gironde monuments of this period, guaranteeing both durability and finesse of cut.
Related Figures
Jean Camus — sculpteur auteur du groupe figuratif, artiste réaliste de l'entre-deux-guerresLes soldats de Sainte-Foy-la-Grande et de Pineuilh morts pour la France (1914-1918)Les élus municipaux de Sainte-Foy-la-Grande ayant commandité le monument en 1923Les habitants de Pineuilh, commune associée à la commémoration commune
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 located?
Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 is located in Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 built?
Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 open to visitors?
Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 is currently closed to visitors.