Lampaul-Guimiliau Things to Do

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The carving ranges from full sized free standing figures to groups or bas-reliefs. They decorate the beam, the font, the altar and exist as plaques. Most are of wood and are polychromed. Besides the two females and Jesus on the beam, there is a Jesus being baptised on the font, a Pieta from a single piece of wood (16C), two altarpieces, one each of the Baptism and the Passion, both of similar format but with different figures, and a classic Entombment group (by Antoine,1676) polychromed wood with a stone head of Jesus. For still closer views we have made a Travelog.

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inside, one is immediately struck by the colorful rood-beam stretching across the nave of the broad-aisled church. As is typical of such structures (it was the first one we remember having encountered, although we have seen many rood-screens), it has a crucifixion at its center with statues of the mourning females at either side.. This one is so colorful, that we devote another entire Tip to it! There is also a well carved pulpit, a fine 17C organ case and an elaborate Baptismal Font of 1651. Just beyond the font in the adjacent wall is an even older holy water stoup. The altar area and side aisles are the location of still more intriguing wood carvings in the form of altarpieces and monuments, covered in another Tip.

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The rood-beam is so fascinating that the well carvved altat and its surroundsare overlooked, but they are finely carved. There was an explosion of wood-carving in the 16 & 17 C as a form of sculpture. We have encountered it all over Europe, everything from portable saint figures to choir stalls. Some of it is in the greatest art museums. It is hard for us to judge as to quality. Obviously the technic is more facile. Does that make it less beautiful? The anonymous craftsmen found in Britanny vary in skill (training?) but should not be thereby be belittled. The front of the beam bears scenes of the Passion. The back shows the Sybills (who prophecy) and the Annunciation (another prophecy). The beam is secured at each end by a joist which is covered over by a wolf-like demon

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The church is of surprising size for such a small town. Apparently there was a stubborn spirit of individuality and competition between the towns in the region and enough craftsmen available to allow for what we saw, not to forget the intense religiosity which is still present. The large entrance porch (1533) (this is a signature Breton church manifestation) was lined along each side by a set of 6 Apostles standing under fancy canopies, each man identified by his attributes (such as James with a cockleshell on his pilgrim hat).Beneath their feet there is some stonework. The doorway into the church is double-arched with an ogival top. At the central point is a roughly carved Virgin and Child, while in the corners are more statues.