This web page published in 2017 under the sponsorship of the région Nouvelle-Aquitaine says that many of the wall paintings in the Antigny church date from the 12th century, with others from the 14th, 15th, and 16th. It includes numerous photos of different paintings. See my blog post yesterday for photos from 2006.
Another exceptional feature of the village of Antigny is a funerary column called a fanal or a lanterne des morts. The "graveyard lantern" in Antigny is a rectangular stone column eight or nine meters (nearly 30 feet) tall topped by a cross. It was designed to house an oil lamp that was hoisted up to the top at nightfall using a system of pulleys. Its purpose might have been to light up the cemetery it originally stood in. Some say that according to superstition it protected the dead and their graves, but also that it protected the living from revenants (ghosts).
The lanterne des morts in Antigny was probably built in the 12th or 13th century. By the 1800s it was in poor repair, so it was taken down stone-block-by-stone-block in 1880 and then rebuilt in a new location, closer to the église Notre-Dame, on the village square. At least that's what I think I've understood from reading about it. I didn't take the picture above; I found it on this web site about the 100 or so lanternes des morts of central and western France.
Your photos of the murals are very good. If I remember correctly the chapel Sainte-Catherine had a better light than the rest of the church.
ReplyDeleteI have a (vague) recollection that we saw another such much smalller structure as the Lanterne des Morts in the countryside not far from the road. Was it the same trip? Do you remember that?
Your understanding of French is very good ;-)
Deletei have been wondering, since Antigny is in the so-called la Vallée des fresques, if the painters were local people, or if they were professionals going from one village to the other? The murals in Antigny look much more naive than those at St. Savin though.
I remember a tower of some kind out in the country, at the intersection of a paved road and a dirt road. Was it a lanterne des morts? I don't know. And where it was... well, I'll check my blog.
DeleteI haven't found anything yet, but I believe the lantern you're talking about must have been in the Berry region, maybe in the Indre. There's one in Vouillon, and there's a list of lanterns in France on Wikipédia, by département.
DeleteAs always, more interesting stuff to learn, here at Ken's blog of blogs!
ReplyDeleteSuch simple beauty in the paintings.
ReplyDeleteSalut, Ken. Merci pour ces images fascinantes. Je ne connais pas du tout cette région. As-tu par hasard publié la photo de la Cène pour marquer le redémarrage des articles culinaires que tu nous as promis ? :-)
ReplyDeleteDrôle de coïncidence, n'est-ce pas ?
DeleteHence (I'm guessing) the English term "revenant", one who returns after death or a long absence. From "revenir".
ReplyDeleteConversation a while ago with an old school friend, who says she doesn't read, at all. I thought, "How do you learn anything new?" I learn so much here. Thank, teach.