Le Grand-Pressigny

French original

(Propriété privée, l'église ne se visite pas - Private property, the church is not open to the public)

This church was founded in the 12th century. It consists of a long nave, a transept - hardly wider than the nave - and an apse which is now separated from the chancel by a wall. The chancel is barrel-vaulted and the apse semidomed. The transept was rib-vaulted but only the springers are still visible. A 90ft tower and spire that used to surmount the crossing have been destroyed and the height of the walls of the nave has been reduced.

South wall of the nave and south transept. The south door and its gable were added in the 14th century

Romanesque window surmounted by its drip molding

Le Grand-Pressigny, Église Saint-Martin d'Etableaux

Bas-reliefs carved in the south wall (11 & 10)

Left: The trefoil apse and its buttresses composed of three columns

jambshafts of the door and their carved capitals

Nave and chancel. The apse is concealed by a wall

THE WALL PAINTINGS

A series of haloed figures (1-2), grouped two by two "in conversatio" as in Roche-Corbon. Also as in Roche-Corbon, the colours of the haloes are alternated. This arrangement of the Apostles is a prefiguration of scenes representing the Last Supper

The Last Supper (1-2) (close-ups) Note the great variety of colours

The Kiss of Judas (3): while Judas (right) kisses Christ, (centre) a soldier (left) is holding Christ's right arm. Judas, as a traitor, is seen in profile and his head is not haloed. A lantern (top lefthand corner) is one of those carried by the guards

A droite: Lion d'une paire qui encadrait des armoiries (6) - Right: One of a pair of lions that framed a coat of arms (6)

Labours of the months: harvesting wheat with a sickle (7)

Le Grand-Pressigny

THE WALL PAINTINGS

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