Saint Corentin Cathedral in Quimper, France

There are three portals on the cathedral’s north side. On the far right is the “Porche des Baptêmes”, which leads to the north nave. The portal comprises a double door separated by a trumeau. The “Porche de la Chandeleur” is located at the northern end of the transept and was built between 1475 and 1479 by the mason Pierre Le Goaraguer and his son Guillaume. The single door is surmounted by a triangular pediment and the arch’s external voussures are decorated with carvings of acanthus leaves. The third portal, situated between the “Porche des Baptêmes” and the “Porche de la Chandeleur”, is small and in earlier times gave access to the ossuary and cemetery; it is no longer used.

The Western Façade of Saint-Corentin Cathedral and The West Portal

The west façade of the cathedral comprises two great spires and a magnificent portal with a series of angels decorating the arch’s voussoirs. On the trumeau is a statue of Christ giving a blessing whilst holding a globe and treading on a grimacing demon. Before 1793, the sculpture on the trumeau had been an equestrian figure in granite of Jean V but that was destroyed in that year. At the top of an arch between the two spires there is a statue of the legendary King Gradlon. The first stone of the western facade was laid on 26 July 1424 by Monseigneur Bertrand de Rosmadec in the presence of a representative of Jean V, the Duke of Bretagne.

Both within and without the triangular pediment above the voussoirs, are many crests and mottos including the crest of the helmeted lion of Montfort holding a standard bearing the words “Malo au riche duc!”, the battle-cry of Breton dukes, the arms of Jean V, the Duke of Bretagne’s three sons, the crest of Jeanne de France, Guillaume de Rosmadec, Bertrand de Rosmadec, the barons of Névet with the motto “Pérag?” “Pourquoi?” and the motto of the nobles of Bodigneau and Clohars-Fouesnant “À l’aventure!”, whilst on the right and near a helmet decorated with valances is the motto of the nobles of Guengat “Léal à ma Foy” and the arms of the nobles of Quélenec

The Nave and The Transept

At the same time as this facade was built (to which were added the north and south gates) the building of the nave started in the east and would finish by 1460.

Its layout lies in an exact continuation of the choir whilst the aisles align onto the ambulatory and the side chapels. The elevation joins – with a blind triforium- the trefoil balustrade and the Norman passageway to part of the choir. It’s a real archaism of the 15th century. This unity cannot disguise a conflicting aesthetic ; while the choir establishs vertical emphasis with the small columns rising from the base of the pillars at the beginning of the vaults, contrarily, in the nave we see horizontal emphasis, each floor being underlined by a wide band.

The Deviation of the Nave

The absence of alignment between the choir and the nave raises a number of questions for which there are multiple interpretations. One can generally see, in many other churches but in a less marked fashion, a symbolic orientation copying the position of Christ’s head on the cross. More technical versions are often given – in particular those citing the necessity of placing the nave’s construction on stable foundations by distancing it from the course of the Odet, which a straighter alignment would have made too close. It should be noted that the building of the transept (towards 1460) was put in place last as if pushing aside the connection problems. A particularity of the chapel is the building onto the south side of the choir in order to attach it to the transept. This necessitated the re-opening of the last bay of the ambulatory, which was « extended » thus leaving the pillar without a diagonal rib spring.

For the vaultings of the nave and the transept, we find the same style as in the choir with the continuous lierne. The different coats of arms present on the vault keystones allow more precise dating of the vaults and their painting from 1486-1500. The same dates apply for the fitting of the high windows.

The Cathedral’s South Portal

The south portal is part of the “facade mėridionale” or “south facade” and is known as the “Porche de la Vierge” or the “Porche de Sainte Catherine”. It has a statue of the Virgin Mary with child in the tympanum, with angels wafting censers on either side. She is seated and below her feet is the bust of an angel with spread wings. The child she holds is gently stroking a bird which he carries. In a niche in one of the buttresses there is a statue of Catherine of Alexandria carved from kersanton. Above the door is a triangular pediment with three ėcussons (“crests or shields”) including the crest of the Duchess Jeanne de France surmounted by the “hermine passante” (“passing stoat”), the emblem of Brittany, with the inscription “A ma vie”. Also shown are the arms and mottos of Monseigneur de Rosmadec and Guillaume de Rosmadec. Just outside of the pediment are the crests of the Bodigneau family and the family Quėlennec. The voussoirs in the upper part of the portal’s arch depict 8 angels playing instruments. The niches in the lower voussoirs are empty.