Sermoise-sur-Loire

A good example of a type of 16th-17th font typical of this area: a main square [polygonal in other cases] main body with another square or rectangular body added to one side. The main body of this one has a basin whose sides are ornamented with a combination of one large torus and two scotia plus a smaller moulding lower down. The stem of the base, also square, is visible on two sides: 1)large circle containing a blank shield within a trefoil, and 2)another large circle containing a large quatrefoil window. The additional or second body has several motifs on its outer face, mainly a shield charged with Christ's initials. Though not visible in the illustration available, the source mentions an Agnus Dei with labarum, and the letters A and M "en caractères gothiques signifient vraisemblablement Ave Maria". (Patrimoine…, Nièvre, 1999, v. 2, p. 771). On-site notes: two of the sides of the smaller body have the motifs mentioned above: one side, the back of the font as it were, has a Gothic arch topped by a motif damaged or altered by the cover lock; under the arch, a large shirld charged with the Marian initials "AM"; on the left side of this same body, a similar arrangement has the arch topped by a small shield charged with the Agnus Dei-cum-labarum; the large shield under the arch has Christ's monogram IHS. The basin of the large body has now a metal insert, itself divided into two compartments by a vertical wall. There is an articulated wooden cover that can open either one -the small- or both basins. There are metal staples which hold both bodies together; the font appears to be made of at least two large blocks of stone.