Andon No. 1

Results: 10 records

Click to view images and/or subjects

cleric - bishop? - Knight Templar?

Scene Description: With a triangular, mitre-like hat and a large cross on his chest;: a bishop? a knight Templar?

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

human figure - hands raised overhead - holding round object

Scene Description: [cf. Notes on Fonts for details]

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

human figure - head

Scene Description: appears to be floating in space

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of base

Scene Description: irregular-polygon shape

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of basin - interior

Scene Description: damaged part may have had the cover anchor

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of church exterior - northeast view

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of church exterior - tower - northeast view

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of church exterior in context - northeast view

Scene Description: Source caption: "Andon (Alpes-Maritimes), la place Victorin Bonhomme et l'église Sainte-Claire."

Image Source: digital photograph taken 27 August 2010 by Patrick Rouzet [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andon_(06)_-_place.jpg] [accessed 10 July 2016]

Copyright Instructions: GFDL / CC-BY-SA-3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0

view of font

Scene Description: south side view

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

view of font

Scene Description: south side view

Image Source: digital photograph taken 14 June 2001 by BSI

INFORMATION

FontID: 03683AND

Church/Chapel: Eglise paroissiale Sainte-Claire (orig. from the chateau's chapel)

Church Patron Saints: St. Claire of Assissi

Church Location: place Victorin Bonhomme, 06750 Andon, France

Country Name: France

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

Directions to Site: Located between Le Mas (N) and Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey (S), in the canton Saint-Auban, arr. De Grasse, to the W of Antibes, 30 km S of Castellane, 50 km NW of Cannes

Historical Region: Pays de Grasse

Font Location in Church: Inside the church, in the apse, N side

Century and Period: 12th century, Romanesque

Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to M. Michel Ponçon, président de l'Association "Les Castellaras", Mairie d'Andon, for the added information on this font (letter of 20 June 2001)

Church Notes: medieval church re-built 1820

Font Notes: Click to view font notes

Listed in Palissy [ref.: PM06000001] as a holy-water stoup of the 12th century: "bénitier [...] Enorme cuve, soutenue par une base carrée, et décorée de figures. [...] 12e siècle [...] Epoque romane." An entry for this font in Le Patrimoine des communes des Alpes-Maritimes (2000, v. 2: 794) claims that "la lumière au-dessu de sa tête symbolise le baptisé" [=the light above the head symbolises the baptised], while the figure next to it, without the round object, represents the same man (?) "avant son baptême" [=before baptism]. It also gives the style as Romanesque. On-site notes: the design of this font is rather peculiar, with a slightly oval, egg-cup shaped basin and a very irregular trapezoidal base. There are three figures on it: at the front of the basin a human figure with a large face appears to hold a disk or round object above his head; to his left, at hip level, a human head/face appears to float in the grainy surface of the basin; the third figure is at the back, on the opposite side of the basin, and wears a painted hat (a bishop's?) and a large cross on his chest; if the association with the Templars [cf. infra] is correct, this figure might be seen alternatively as a knight of the Order. The font is said to originate from the nearby Catellaras de Thorenc, believed to be a Templar castle. We have, however, no documentary corroboration.

COORDINATES

Church Latitude & Longitude Decimal: 43.773333, 6.785833

Church Latitude & Longitude DMS: 43° 46′ 24″ N, 6° 47′ 9″ E

UTM: 32T 321805 4849081

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, limestone

Number of Pieces: two

Font Shape: oval (mounted)

Basin Interior Shape: oval

Basin Exterior Shape: oval

Rim Thickness: 5.5-6 cm

Diameter (inside rim): 57 x 49 cm

Diameter (includes rim): 68 x 60 cm

Basin Depth: 45 cm

Basin Total Height: 60 cm

Height of Base: 29 cm

Font Height (less Plinth): 89 cm

Notes on Measurements: BSI [NB: the base is a hexagon of very irregular plan; its sides measure L->R: 48, 16, 47, 22, 50, 15]

REFERENCES

Le Patrimoine des communes des Alpes-Maritimes, Charenton: FLOHIC, 2000