The Dance of Death at Kernascléden: a real treasure in a majestic setting in the Land of King Morvan
Although this theme was very popular in the Middle Ages, there are now only two dances of death left in Brittany. In the superb church of Notre-Dame de Kernascléden, you can still admire one of these terrifying farandoles.
Notre-Dame de Kernascléden, the "Queen of Brittany's chapels
A little history
Construction of the chapel of Notre-Dame de Kernascléden began around 1420, at the height of Brittany's golden age, and was completed in 1464. It was built thanks to donations from generous patrons, the Rohan family and the Duke of Brittany. Their coats of arms can be seen on the keystones, proving that the chapel was indeed the recipient of their gifts. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier building, on land donated by the Rohans.
The chapel initially belonged to the parish of Saint-Caradec-Trégomel. It became a parish church in 1908.
The chapel with 100 belfries
Known as the chapel of 100 bells, or sometimes 1,000... whatever the number, Notre-Dame de Kernascléden well deserves its nickname of "Queen of Brittany's chapels".
It is one of the finest examples offlamboyant Gothic art in Brittany. It has all the decorative features of this style: pinnacles, balustrades, roses, bell towers, gargoyles... Here, everything seems more meticulous, more ornate, richer than in many chapels, yet without overload. The two porches, the men's and the women's, show a real concern for perfection in the finesse of the details, such as the foliage motifs. It is a veritable stone lace sculpted from granite. The bell tower, which rises elegantly into the sky, further accentuates the richness of the exterior décor.
Everything is slender, delicate and harmonious. The lightness and nobility of the whole give this church an incomparable charm.
Inside, stone vaults cover the entire building. This feature already distinguishes the church of Notre-Dame de Kernascléden from other monuments of the same period. The roof structure was generally left exposed.
A beautiful legend
Such a beautiful chapel could only be accompanied by a very pretty legend... This one links thechurch of Kernascléden and the chapel of Saint-Fiacre in Le Faouët. Around 15 kilometres apart, they were built around the same time.
Legend has it that there were many workers on these two sites and that, unfortunately, many of them were short of tools. So the angels who watched over the two buildings thought that one group of workers could work while the other was resting. To do this, they would transport the tools by heavenly transport from one site to the other.
The Dance of Death, join in the fun...
In this church, it's not just the architecture that stands out, but also the sculptures and, above all, the paintings...
The Dance of Death: a terrifying masterpiece
A danse macabre depicts the triumph of death. In this representation, common in the Middle Ages, we see death leading skeletons and human beings in the same dance. Death has no regard for rank or wealth. Everyone is on an equal footing: pope, emperor, simple priest, knight, doctor, merchant, peasant... men, women, children... No one escapes it!
The message was very simple: life is fleeting, everyone will die, everyone must live responsibly and piously, in all simplicity and humility. It was a warning to the powerful and a comfort to the poorest, because the end will be the same for everyone. What a lovely moral lesson!
At Kernascléden, the frieze, damaged by the passage of time, is no longer complete. You can still make out various characters and skeletons holding their hands. This is one of the two dances of death that still exist in Brittany today.
The beauties of Paradise...in music!
Angel musicians of rare splendour
Fortunately, not all the paintings in Notre-Dame church are so intimidating. Four of the compartments in the vault evoke the sweetness of paradise. In these paintings by a different artist of the danse macabre or hell, theincredible mastery of the drawing suggests that the painter came from the royal court.
Each panel features two angels, one playing a musical instrument (viol, tambourine, harp and rebec), the other unrolling a scroll with staves and notes.
Kernascléden "well worth a mass"!
A few years ago, German musicologist Ursula Günther studied the scores on these parchments. She found that they were real musical tunes. Their transcription led to the discovery of a complete Mass that has since been performed.
Specialists now speak of a "Kernascléden Mass" like those in Barcelona and Toulouse.
An extraordinary collection of murals
The most spectacular is in the choir and on the vault, where an extraordinary group of wall paintings has retained its beautiful colours despite the passage of time and the climate. It is divided into two parts. Eight scenes depict Christ's passion and resurrection. Twenty-four scenes depict the life of the Virgin Mary, from her conception to her coronation. The artist had to deploy all his talent to work in the narrow space reserved for each panel. A far cry from a rectangular canvas!
These scenes greatly influenced the painter and art historian Maurice Denis (1870-1943). He even went so far as to say that this is "one of the most complete, best-preserved and most characteristic groups of old French paintings". We readily believe him.
A visit to Notre-Dame church is a must if you want to admire all these marvels. Why not visit during the pardon of Kernascléden on 15 August? This traditional daytime festival doesn't disturb the tenants of the church attic: a colony of bats! The Maison de la Chauve-souris explains everything you need to know about these little creatures, which some people find a little frightening, but not as frightening as hell or the danse macabre.
One last tip: Kernascléden can also be discovered through play. The investigation "Le secret de l'Ymagier" is a thrilling game of enigmas, available from thetourist office!
