Treport / Le Tréport

Listed by Enlart (1902) as a Romanesque pedestal font where the hemispheric basin acquires a square top by virtue of the four heads which adorn the corners at 90-degree angles. In Ghislain (1986). Listed in PALISSY [ref.: PM76001920] [www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/palissy_fr] with date to the 12th century: "Fonts baptismaux [...] Cuve circulaire cantonnée de grosse têtes humaines et portée sur un pied cylindrique [...] 12e siècle" [NB: the Palissy entry makes no reference to the origin of the font, the Paroissiale Saint-Jacques]. Frake (2002) notes that Chéreng and Le Tréport are the only two round fonts from the Tournai workshops, and suggests that they are so much like Mosan fonts that "it would be misleading to consider them here" [i.e. in the Tournai School]. [NB: only a part of the basin has survived]. A communication to BSI from Pol Herman (e-mail of 5 January 2024) refers to a 16 February 2022 Facebook entry [https://m.facebook.com/560205094046986/photos/a.561580090576153/5027349000665884/?type=3] [accessed 12 April 2024] in which the ancient basin is seen being transported back to the parish church of Saint-Jacques. According to the Facebook entry text the font had been removed from Saint-Jacques in 1887 to be replaced by a modern font, and had been relegated to outside the church, exposed to the elements; later on it was moved to the Chapelle Saint-Julien, where it remained until 16 February 2022, when it was moved back to its original home, the Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jacques, and provided with a new base. In a comment to the Facebook entry Pol Herman suggested that a base like those of the fonts at Chéreng, de Beauvechain or Saint-Séverin -en-Condroz, would be most appropriate for this font.