Thursday 26 November 2020

Curious Carvings

Back in the days in October when we could go out and about we came across a very curiously carved house, on the market place in Bossée. Local friends who have seen the images can't tell us anything about it. There appears to be nothing on the internet. And yet these carvings clearly mean something.

Carved house, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
The curiously carved house in Bossée.
 

The sculptor is a folk artist, recording events and places in his life (I imagine it is a he...). In the centre there is the profile of a soldier emblazoned with the dates of the First World War. 

Folk art relief sculpture of a WWI soldier on a house, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
A First World War soldier.

 

Then there is a frieze over one of the windows. It shows, as far as I can tell, from left to right, the village church (just across the road); the house itself (pre soldier); then there is a keystone decorated with a lion and fruit, and another house; and on the right, an man in the forest with his dog. The trees remind me of trees in medieval church wall paintings. On the house, perching on the loft pulley arm, is a crow like bird. Finally, the keystones of the first floor window lintels are decoratively carved, with fruit and a ram's head.

Folk art relief frieze over a window in a village house, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Frieze over one of the windows.


We would love to know the story behind these carvings. Their creation must be just within living memory for someone in the area. I can't believe their history is truly lost, and it would be sad if it was.


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5 comments:

Colin and Elizabeth said...

The house has obviously been cared for, perhaps it was a local stonemason showing off his work?

Susan said...

Except it's not professional enough for that...

chm said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chm said...

I wonder if the carving on the top left window is either the Croix de Guerre or the Médaille militaire?

Susan said...

I don't think it can be meant to be a medal. The top half is kind of like a ribbon and medal, but the bottom half is a bunch of grapes and a vine leaf.

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