Domain of Ankou, korrigans, elves and Merlin the Enchanter, Brittany is a land of legends. Those of Arthurian legends of course in the mythical forest of Brocéliande. But a hundred kilometers away, strange creatures also populate the cliffs of the Rothéneuf district in Saint-Malo. Carved directly into the granite rock overlooking the sea, these sculptures represent enigmatic faces, sea monsters, animals or elves. A singular work that we owe to Abbot Fouré, a man of the Church who became a sculptor.
In the spotlight of an exhibition dedicated to his life and his work which is held until January 12 in the departmental archives of Ille-et-Vilaine, Abbé Fouré, born Adolphe Julien Fouéré in 1839, is himself a singular character. For nearly thirty years, he worked as a country priest in Ille-et-Vilaine, working with working populations. A strong character which hardly pleases the religious institution, which sees in him a cumbersome priest and little inclined to bend to authority. In 1894, he was dealt the final blow by withdrawing from his functions for “hardness of hearing.” »
Considered one of the precursors of art brut
The fallen priest then retired to Rothéneuf, a former fishing village transformed into a seaside resort at the end of the 19th century. A self-taught artist, he created his first sculptures on the Pointe de Christ before continuing his work on the cliff of La Haye, drawing his inspiration from the shape of the rocks. In barely fifteen years, equipped with a hammer and a chisel, he created a monumental work, sculpting more than 300 statues on the rocks of the corsair city before dying on February 10, 1910.
This has led him to be considered today as one of the precursors of art brut. But more than a century after the disappearance of their creator, the sculpted rocks still remain a mystery. “The absence of writings on his part makes his work even more enigmatic,” underlines Elodie Petton, the curator of the exhibition. This is how legends were born around the work of Abbé Fouré. For the owners of the site of the sculpted rocks, the priest would have been inspired by the history of the Rothéneuf family, a line of corsairs and smuggler fishermen.
A work that fades over time
A “fanciful” version, according to Joëlle Jouneau, president of the association of friends of the work of Abbé Fouré, wanting to “put the church back in the center of the village. » “The site is private so the owners are free to romanticize all that,” she says. But we rely on real research work. » According to her, the story of corsairs and smugglers would therefore be a pure invention. “There is of course a religious significance in the work of Abbé Fouré,” she assures. But also historical with characters who had a link with the news of his time. » Not very friendly with the association, Antoine Janvier, the manager of the place, defends himself. “Everyone is free to interpret their sculptures as they wish,” he says. But it’s painful to hear every time that we say stupid things and that they are the ones who have the right interpretation.”
In Rothéneuf, the meaning of the sculpted rocks is not the only subject of disagreement. The future of Abbé Fouré’s work, which is slowly fading under the effect of erosion, is also a source of tension. Because of the 300 statues carved by the Hermit of Rothéneuf, only around a hundred remain today according to the association, which continues to alert the authorities to the fragility of this exceptional heritage. “The trampling of visitors puts the sculptures in danger,” underlines Joëlle Jouneau. We must therefore act to delay the disappearance of the remaining sculptures. »
Targeted without being named, and quite annoyed by our questions, Antoine Janvier vigorously refutes the idea that the site is abandoned. “I have no interest in leaving it abandoned,” he replies. But unfortunately, against the sea spray, the rain and the wind, I can’t do much. »