Saint-Martin de Tours

Sculpture by Jean Mazuet

Sculpture by Jean Mazuet This descent from the cross is the work of Nantes sculptor Jean Mazuet (1908-1984). It was created during the Second World War. At the foot of the scene, a Latin inscription reads ‘O you who pass by here, stop and see if there is any pain comparable to mine’.

The Risen Christ

Protected as a Historic Monument, this 18th-century polychrome wooden statue depicts the risen Christ, dressed in his shroud. His right hand is raised in blessing, while he holds a cross in his other hand. In traditional representations, Christ often carries the standard of the Resurrection: a white banner with a red cross, symbolising his victory over death.

The dream of Saint Martin

This high relief depicts Saint Martin as a soldier, asleep at the foot of a fortress. Above him are Christ and angels. This scene illustrates the dream that followed the episode of Charity, when in Amiens he cut his military cloak in half to share it with a beggar. The following night, Christ appears to him wearing the cloak and explaining to the angels: ‘Martin, who is only a catechumen, covered me with this cloak’. A reference to the Gospel according to Matthew: ‘What you did to the least of these, you did to me’.

Frescoes

Created between 1925 and 1931, they are the work of the brothers Paul and Albert Lemasson, local artists from Saint-Mars-du-Désert. 

The choir is dominated by a fresco depicting the Charity of Saint Martin, in which the artists had fun reproducing the scene not in Amiens but on the banks of the Loire. 

Beneath this painting, four scenes tell the story of the saint's life: 

- his baptism, at the age of 10, in Pavis

- the resurrection of a catechumen by Saint Martin, as a monk, in the abbey he founded at Ligugé

- the healing of a leper at the gates of Paris by Saint Martin, then bishop

- the destruction of a pagan tree by Saint Martin, bishop. 

Other frescoes by these artists can be seen in the church, including the Monument aux Morts, which depicts the Virgin Mary supporting a dying soldier.

Way of the Cross

This is a remarkable work of religious art from the 1930s, painted by Albert Lemasson. He chose a tight framing so that the scenes could be seen up close, with the figures depicted halfway up the body. Most of the images are square, to create a strong bond with the viewer. The style is expressive but softened by soft colours, such as the blue of the Virgin. Christ wears a white garment, a symbol of peace and sacrifice.

Processional banner

Dating from the first half of the 19th century, this remarkably well-preserved red velvet banner has two sides: one depicts Christ on the cross and the other Saint Martin in his bishop's habit.