Perpignan No. 2 / Perpinyà

In his Notes sur l'art réligieux du Roussillon 2e partie: l'ornementation (Bulletin archéologique du Comité des travaux historiques et scientifiques, vol. 11, 1893: 361-362), Brutails mentions a number of ancient fonts, among which he notes: "Les fonts de La Réal de Perpignan, taillés dans un bloc de marbre blanc, sont de trois siècles postérieurs [i.e., 14thC]. Leur forme générale est une pyramide tronquée renversée, à treize côtés; la différence entre les deux bases n'est guère sensible. En haut, ces fonts ont un bandeau et une gorge dans laquelle court une torsade; les panneaux, qui prennent la plus grande partie de la hauteur, sont ornés de personnages sous des arcs trilobés: les douze apôtres, saint-Jean baptisant Notre Seigneur; en bas, une torsade, quelques moulures et un socle. Ces fonts sont, je crois, les plus beaux du Roussillon, de même que ceux de Saint-Jean en semblent être les plus anciens." Enlart (1902) describes this as a large circular basin with thirteen panels which are ornamented with figures, and dates it to the 14th century. Also described, and with illustrations, in Delcor (1973): a marble polygonal basin (thirteen sides), bucket-shaped, mounted on a squat stem of equal shape, though this base appears modern; it has a rope motif at the upper sides of the basin, just under the rim and another one below the scenes; the rest of the basin sides is ornamented with an arcade of thirteen trilobed arches, one has a scene of the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the other twelve have an Apostle [cf. correction below] in each. Delcor (ibid.) also dates it to no later than the 14th century, and describes it as rather crude carving. Lasteyrie (1926-1927) attributes the rather crude execution to the artist's inclination for the lingering and lively Romanesque styles of the south [="les traditions romanes si vivaces dans le midi"]. Listed in Palissy [ref.: PM66000619] with date in the 14th century. Illustrated in Mérimée [ref.: PA00104074]. On-site notes: the font is in generally good shape, although there is some damage to the upper rim and some of the heads have been wilfully damaged. With the exception of those in the Baptism scene, all the figures hold scrolls (now blank but probably painted originally) and two of them, Peter and Paul, caryy their identifying attribute or symbol, two keys and a sword respectively. Two of the figures appear to be female (the fourth and seventh to the right of the Baptism scene), making the claim that these are the twelve Apostles at least questionable. All the figures are haloed. Order of the figures (L->R from the baptism of Christ): 1)Baptism of Christ: John, on the left, dressed in an animal-skin habit with Franciscan-like belt, baptises Christ with a vase; 2)figure with sword and scroll (Paul?); 3)young male holding scroll; 4)bearded male with scroll; 5)female with scroll; 6)bearded male with scroll; 7)young male with scroll; 8)female with scroll; 9)male figure with scroll - damaged head; 10)male figure with scroll - damaged head; 11)male figure with scroll; 12)figure (?) with scroll; 13)bearded male figure with scroll and keys (Peter?). The lid on the font is a plain wooden one of modern manufacture, but the hardware in the upper rim surface is indicative of an earlier cover.