Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

Curtafond Calvary is a Gothic limestone building dating from the 2nd half of the 14th century, although some sources also evoke an attribution in the 15th century. It is distinguished by its circular base on several levels, surmounted by an octagonal column and a square tailloir decorated with coats of arms. These represent the instruments of the Passion of Christ: nails to the north, crown thorns to the east, sponge and spear to the west, tenaille and hammer to the south. The statuary, double-sided, shows to the west a Madonna with Child (today mutilated) framed by angels, and to the east a scene of crucifixion. The ensemble is crowned by a bird holding a bird, a symbol whose interpretation remains open.

Originally, the Calvary was located at the intersection of C.G.C 42 and the Vicinal Road from Curtafond to Confrançon, in the department of Ain. In 2013, he was moved for road safety reasons to the park adjacent to the church and town hall of Curtafond. This shift illustrates the modern tensions between preserving heritage and adapting to contemporary needs, such as car traffic. The monument was classified as historical monuments on May 22, 1933, recognizing its artistic and historical value.

Available sources, including Wikipedia and the Merimée base, point to the rarity of this type of gothic calvary in Bresse, which was then marked by a high level of agricultural and religious activity. The base of the barrel, which has now disappeared, and the mutilations suffered by the statuary (the missing arm and head of the Child Jesus) bear witness to the hazards of its history. Owned by the commune, the Calvary remains a local symbol, linked to medieval devotion and funerary art of the period, while questioning the practices of restoration and presentation of the rural heritage.

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