Construction of the monument XXe siècle (≈ 2007)
Period of creation by Blondat
1er août 2016
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 1er août 2016 (≈ 2016)
Total protection of the monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The monument to the dead of the commune, entirely located in front of the town hall-school (Box B 447): inscription by order of 1 August 2016
Key figures
Max Blondat - Sculptor
Autobiographical author of the monument
Origin and history
The monument to the dead of Crain, located in the department of Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is a 20th century realization. He distinguished himself as one of the few autobiographical testimonies of a sculptor, Max Blondat, who represented his personal experience of World War I. The work features a soldier hidden behind stylized foliage, symbolizing the fighters in the camouflage section where Blondat served.
This monument, erected in front of Crain's town hall-school, was fully inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 1 August 2016. It reflects a unique artistic and memorial approach, where the author was directly inspired by his experience to honour the soldiers of his native commune. The location, although documented (road of Coulanges-la-Vinière or 3 Rue de la Mairie), remains approximate according to available sources.
Max Blondat, sculptor and author of this monument, chose to integrate stylized and personal elements, offering an intimate and rare view of the conditions of soldiers during the war. The monument, owned by the commune, embodies both a collective tribute and a work of art marked by the individual history of its creator.
