Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The cemetery cross of Lanouée, classified as a historical monument since 1946, dates from the 16th century. Originally erected in the old cemetery, it was moved to the current cemetery, where it still stands. Its rounded barrel and its granite monolithic base carry sculptures in high relief, including a Calvary and a crowned Virgin with the Child. A rare feature is the sculpted representation on the base, interpreted as a Mass of Saint Gregory the Great, with an altar in perspective and assistants holding a papal tiara and a candle.

The upper part of the cross shows Christ on one side and the Virgin to the Child on the other, sheltered under a typical awning of the region. The base, of remarkable artistic quality, may come from a retable reused during the translation of the cemetery. The cask, redone with hooks, and the sculptures under shelter illustrate local practices of protection of outdoor works. This monument thus reflects the religious and artistic traditions of the Breton Renaissance.

The cross is now owned by the municipality of Lanouee, located in Morbihan (British). Its inscription in historical monuments in 1946 underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its narrative sculptures. The details such as the altar perspective or the mass scene for the souls of purgatory make it a unique testimony of Breton sacred art of the sixteenth century.

External links