Gouaux No. 2 / Goaus / Goausio / Gouaux d’Aure / Gouaux en Aure / Goueux / Guaus

Image copyright © Baptisteria Sacra Index, 2023
Results: 4 records
view of basin - upper view
view of font
view of font and cover in context
INFORMATION
FontID: 04996GOU
Church/Chapel: Chapelle de l'Invention-de-St-Étienne
Church Patron Saints: St. Stephen
Church Location: Gouaux 65240, France
Country Name: France
Location: Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie
Directions to Site: Located 4 km S of Arreau, W of Bordères-Louron, in the arrondissement of Bagnères-de-Bigorre
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocèse de Tarbes et Lourdes
Historical Region: Vallée d'Aure, Midi-Pyrénées
Font Location in Church: Inside the church, by the W door, N side
Date: 1844 [casing only]
Century and Period: 19th century (mid) [casing only], Modern
Workshop/Group/Artisan: Pierre Menvielle [for the casing]
Font Notes: Click to view font notes
Liste in Palissy [ref.: IM65001135] as a wooden armoire that houses the baptismal font; the gilded woodwork done in 1844 by Pierre Menvielle, sculptor from Bagnères-de-Bigorre. On-site notes: the baptismal font which is covered in a casing of a type found in some churches of the departments of the French eastern Pyrénées [cf. Index entry for Bagnères-de-Bigorre for a shining example of a Romanesque font "buried" in an ornate armoire]. In keeping with the size of the church, this armoire is much smaller but equally colourful: the lower part resembles the vanity counter of a gaudy bathroom, the wooden cabinet covered in mock-marble colours; the wooden cover is hinged at the back. The backdrop above the font has a sculptural group of Jesus being baptised by John the Baptist. The canopy above is decorated in the same manner as the rest of the ensemble in cream, beige, green, red and gold. The font itself has an oval basin [no other parts accessible] and may be dated between the 17th and 19th centuries.
COORDINATES
UTM: 1T 284550 4749320
MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS
Material:
stone, limestone?
Font Shape: cased font
Basin Interior Shape: oval
Basin Exterior Shape: oval
Diameter (inside rim): 42 x 58 cm (oval)
Diameter (includes rim): 50 x 85 cm (includes the wooden case)
Basin Depth: 15 cm
Font Height (less Plinth): 88 cm (height from the basin to the floor)
Notes on Measurements: BSI
LID INFORMATION
Date: 17th century
Material:
wood,
Notes: Both the lid and the ornate "armoire" which houses the font are from the mid 19th century