Venasque No. 3 / Vénasque

Results: 6 records

Click to view images and/or subjects

design element - motifs - flat moulding

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

view of basin - interior

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

view of basin - upper view

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

view of font

Scene Description: notice the damage to the upper basin rim area

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

view of font in context

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

view of font in context

Image Source: BSI - Photographed 2001

INFORMATION

FontID: 03644VEN

Church/Chapel: Eglise/cathédrale de Notre-Dame

Church Patron Saints: St. Mary the Virgin

Church Location: Pl. du Presbytère, 84210 Venasque, France -- Tel.: +33 4 90 66 62 01

Country Name: France

Location: Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Directions to Site: Vénasque lies 12 kms SE of Carpentras on the D4, about the same distance NW of Avignon.

Font Location in Church: On one of the sides of the baptistery

Century and Period: 11th century, Romanesque

Cognate Fonts: A similar one at Frejus

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

Corblet mentions that there is a cylindrical stone basin whose only ornamentation consists of "deux cercles sculptés sur son pourtour", and claims that it was without a doubt the "cuve-réservoir qui servait au baptistère", but that had been turned by the 19th century into a chapel in the presbitery of the church of Notre-Dame. (Corblet, 1881-1882, v. 2, p. 75) [cf. Index entries for Vénasque Nos. 1 & 2 for details on the Baptistery and its font]. On-site notes: this barrel-like object is similar to the one found in the baptistery at Frejus; they may have been originally reservoirs for the holy water and later used as baptismal fonts, though this is by no means certain. One of the upper rim sides has been badly damaged, evidence of forceful removal of old lid hardware. On-site notes: a cylindrical unmounted object located on one of the sides of the baptistery; it is not clear what function it served, nor is it known whethere or not it belongs there at all; it could have been a water reservoir or part of an oil-press (?).

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 43.997, 5.14554

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 43° 59′ 49.2″ N, 5° 8′ 43.94″ E

UTM: 31T 672027 4873777

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, marble

Number of Pieces: one

Font Shape: cylindrical (unmounted)

Basin Interior Shape: round

Basin Exterior Shape: round

Drainage Notes: the drain hole is 10 cm wide)

Rim Thickness: 10 cm

Diameter (inside rim): 82 cm

Diameter (includes rim): 102 cm

Basin Depth: 43 cm

Basin Total Height: 82 cm

Font Height (less Plinth): 82 cm

Notes on Measurements: BSI

REFERENCES

Corblet, Jules, Histoire dogmatique, liturgique et archéologique du sacrement de baptême, Paris: V. Palme, 1881-1882

Davies, J.G., The Architectural Setting of Baptism, London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1962