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The Church of Our Lady at Gourdon

A wealth of decorative sculpture

While the church of Our Lady at Gourdon is well known for its wall paintings, it also boasts a large amount of decorative sculpture. The church still possesses 98 carved capitals (originally 101), which is a considerable number for a church of its size.

According to Jens Reiche*, these capitals can be divided into three main categories: capitals based on a historical narrative, heraldic capitals, and capitals with geometric patterns, or depicting plants.

An illustration of lewdness

The first category brings together a variety of narrative themes, including three which are of particular interest:
a depiction of Daniel in the Lions’ Den, an illustration of Lewdness, and the capital known as the Three Vices, showing side by side Avarice, Envy, and Ill-temper. The capitals classed as heraldic include depictions of animals or birds such as lions and eagles, but also human beings.  Alongside these classic subjects, there is also a more original theme – ‘sciapods’.

Sciapodes ' theme

This legendary Asian race with its origins in antiquity consisted of men with a single leg and a huge foot.

This feature enabled them to run more quickly than animals, and to protect them from the sun.

 
 

To carry on with the tour

  • Less than 5 km

  • — Romanesque church of Mont-Saint-Vincent :
    Go South in Mont-Saint-Vincent's direction

  • Less than 10 km

  • — Romanesque church of Saint Romain-sous-Gourdon :
    Go West in Perrecy-les-Forges' direction
  • — Romanesque church of Marigny :
    Go North en Marigny's direction

  • Tourist office

  • Montceau-les-Mines,
    Quai Général De Gaulle
    Tél : 03 85 69 00 00
 

More info to carry on the tour on the Bourgogne du Sud's website

 

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