Corseul No. 1 / Civitas Coriosolitum / Corsolt / Corsoltum / Corsot

Listed in Enlart (1902, p. 785 footnotes 6 and 7) as a 12th-century stoup in which the basin well has ribbed pattern on the inside, with fish "swimming" in it. [cf. Index entry for Dinan No. 1, also with fish on the inside of the basin well - image available -- see also the famous frog stoup at Narbonne, etc.)] Noted in Autissier (2005) as a Romanesque (?) baptismal font probably of the 12th century decorated with heads. [Autissier (ibid.) notes other fonts with heads in this region at: Bécherel, Dinan, Erquy, Perros-Guirec, Pleur-Tuit and Saint-Malo]. The round tapering font is decorated with four standing figures; two of them look outwards, standing atlante-like, but their hands are turned backwards, thimbs outwards, with four fingers wrapped around the upper rim; they are located at opposite sides of the basin; the two atlantes have individualised facial characteristics, one of the having the kinky hair used in medieval figures to render 'exotic' persons of African origin; the other two figures, also at opposite ends, are crouching and look inwards, holding up the basin from the underbowl; the heads of the two inward-looking figures appear to have been broken off; the lower bodies of the four figures form the base of the font, their feet standing on a round moulded platform. The inner surface of the basin well appears to be decorated with a ribbed pattern which is a characteristic of Gothic, not Romanesque fonts. Topic-Topos Patrimoines des Communes de la France [http://fr.topic-topos.com/cuve-baptismale-corseul] [accessed 17 May 2013] reports two fish carved in the interior of the basin well; this site dates the font to the 12th century as well: "Cette vasque est supportée alternativement sur le ventre ou sur le dos par quatre cariatides, dont deux ont la tête brisée. On trouve plusieurs exemples de ce type de cuve baptismale dans la région, notamment dans l'église Saint-Sauveur de Dinan. Deux poissons sculptés à l'intérieur de la vasque, symbolisent le Christ et indiquent sa destination religieuse." Dated also to the 12th century in InfoBretagne [www.infobretagne.com/corseul.htm] [accessed 17 May 2013]: "Cuve baptismale du XIIème siècle transformée en bénitier et classée le 1er mai 1911." It was turned to use as a holy-water stoup. Barral i Altet (2005) describes this object as a not-so-fine a replica of the one at Dinan [cf. Index entry] but gives no date for it.