On a Good Friday, Hubert, an impetinent Belgian hunter is chasing a tall stag. Suddenly a cross appears, stuck between the stag’s antlers and a divine voice advises him to give up the chase and to think about redemption. The vision is efficient and Hubert converted himself to the Christian faith.
Cernunnos, the Celtic god
In the Celtic mythology, the stag is venerated under the name of Cernunnos or Kernon. It is half-human , half –animal. It symbolises nature cycles and physical and spiritual renewal . With its antlers it links the cosmos to the earth and thus manages to help souls accomplish their last trip « passeurs d’âmes ».
This stag also symbolise Samain : the Celtic New Year ( November 1st) . Celts only had two seasons: the dark one and the clear one. In the Breton language: we still call the months of november and december, the black months (” miziou du”)
Kernon shows where the west is too !
Click on the photos to enlarge.
An elegant granite masterpiece
In the XVIth century, an unknown artist used granite to illustrate Saint Hubert ‘s legend. This very talented sculptor reveals his art of the portrait and animal sculpting added to a certain stagecraft. His work of art reveals very refined and delicate features , very rich details ( dogs, soldier, floral details, St Hubert…) and most of all the well-balanced composition. A unique masterpiece in Brittany. Never forget granite is a very hard stone to sculpt ! Very elegant indeed !
May I give my personal feeling? It is “out of this world”. I have never seen such refined sculptures in Brittany and I have seen a lot in the last 30 years! It needs some cleaning though but it will have to be as delicate as the sculptures themselves.
By the way! This masterpiece is not far from the Atlantic Ocean: at about 3 km inland , in a village called Cast, Finistère.
This statue might be the artist himself but nobody is sure!
Very interesting posts, Marie-France!
Where do you keep on finding all this information about everything?
You are leaving the Northern shores!
I am not leaving the northern shores, just wanted to have some space and I missed the Atlantic. I have been very interested in Breton architecture for a very long time in our end of the world so, I have loads of info! I also like Breton manor houses and I have the “bible” for them (Louis Le Guennec: a man who spent his life counting them, drawing them and writing about them! His books: Le Finistère Monumental: tome 1 & 2)
I also have quite a number of issues published by Armen ” La Bretagne, un monde à découvrir”. And to top it all I am married to a historian! It helps! I have seen and visited hundreds of places since the 1980′s, even when dogs could chase you because you were trespassing!! I couldn’t run as fast as my husband! It is a wonder I am not crippled
Thank you very much Marie for your detailed explanation concerning my question. I found it very interesting. I always admire “the path” followed by man from one religion to another! Elegant sculptures by a handsome artist!
I also was flattered to discover that the Celtic word Cernunnos or Kernon derives from the Greek word Κέρας (horn) that became Cornu in latin. It seems as if Europe was a big neighborhood since very old times!
True for Europe. We have always been very much into contact. Cornu in French means a man wearing horns because his wife was unfaithful! We are not very charitable, are we? Just one week after Valentine’s Day!
We share the same expression exactly for the same situation! But do not forget the “magnifico cornuto” of Italians though! Our big european horns!
J’aime beaucoup l’ensemble de ces élégantes sculptures en granit représentant la conversion de Saint Hubert!
Merci pour toutes les informations sur la symbolique du cerf dans la mythologie celte, Marie-France!
Great post. Highly interesting.
I suggest every project partner to look for some legends in our area.
We might discover extraordinary facts and other links.
Thanks Marie-France
Your idea is certainly to be followed. Our shores are so rich, culturally wise. Legends and their material traces can help us to write posts and to take pics.
What is nice about this project is the fact that it elvoves and I am glad we have added a category “Special events” which helps to keep a timeline!
Grazie mille Margherita.
Very nice sculptures and story …
interesting …
You think that this stag have association with Cernunnos ?
Interesting, because as I read in texts – horned Cernunnos is turned by Christians to horned devil (the some with Greek Satyr)
Pagan Cernunnos with Christian cross than could be explained as Christian World conquest over Pagan World …
You are right, Tanja. It is the old belief used by the Christian. We have the horned devil too.