Memo from J-P
For this page of oldquimper.com, we give the floor to Jean-Pierre, who serves as the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) of The Meadows Collection. Appointed to that position in 2007, he has gamely agreed to attempt the daunting task of taking over the duties previously fulfilled by the late, but ever-present-in-our-hearts, Porquier-Beau...whose image continues to grace the upper left corner of this link.
Jean-Pierre is fifteen-years-old, which translates to seventy-six in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate.
It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:
Greetings to all.
First a little bit about me:
Jean-Pierre is fifteen-years-old, which translates to seventy-six in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate.
It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:
Greetings to all.
First a little bit about me:
I was born in Paris and am thoroughly français despite paperwork that lists me as being a chat de la fôret norvégienne (Norwegian Forest Cat). My full name is Châtelain Jean-Pierre. Châtelain because being born in 2007... December 21, 2007 to be precise...means that in accordance with French regulations, my name must begin with the letter 'c'. Those born in 2008 have names that begin with a 'd', those born in 2009 have names beginning with the letter 'e' and so on.
Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.
Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.
Every once in a while I like to put the spotlight on a specific topic…it might be an unusual example of Quimper pottery or perhaps a further look at a place or structure…something that I feel will further your enjoyment of French faïence.
And then sometimes I take this opportunity to share with you some of our adventures in Quimper...because one of the results of being so gab-smacked enamored of Quimper pottery has led to the inevitable and now we live in Quimper...right in the middle of Old Town !
I'm an indoor cat, but I do see a lot from our windows and the folks are always up for an adventure. Here's a quick rundown of what we were up to last month...it will give you a bit of a taste of the sights and sounds of living in Quimper.
For a bit of welcome R&R, the folks joined a neighborhood group on an outing to the Abbaye Saint-Guénolé in Landévennec...about thirty-five miles northwest of Quimper. The original abbey is said to have been founded at the end of the 5th Century by Saint-Guénolé, a missionary from Wales. Abandoned and left to ruins after the French Revolution, in 1958, a new group of monks arrived and currently preside over nearby, newly-constructed buildings.
But the primary attraction for the group was to explore the site's long history. It's possible to wander around the massive architectural ruins and visit the adjacent museum that is filled with interesting artefacts.
The museum exhibits included this display of ancient earthenware pottery used by monks of earlier days...
...and much to Mom's delight, they also had some more modern and decorative pieces of faïence...including this René-Yves Creston figure of King Gradlon on horseback with his daughter Dahut tumbling in the waves behind him and beside it, a faïence figure of Saint Guénolé.
Another stop on their outing was the Chapelle Sainte-Marie du Ménez-Hom seen here in an old postcard...complete with an old petit breton standing in front a bit left of bottom center.
Located in the town of Plomodiern, the chapel structure in the postcard was built on the ruins of a much earlier chapel. Today, the austere grey granite exterior belies the addition of an early 18th century interior...
...that is brimming with light from stained glass windows that serve to transform the space with magnificent colors.
Like a number of Finistère's chapels, the influence of tradesmen more accustomed to constructing boats can be seen in the methods used to form the roof.
In a quiet corner of the small chapel is a marble plaque commemorating a war-time event...eighteen British and American aviators were hidden there in September-October of 1943, fed and cared for by the local population during the Nazi Occupation until they were all able to return to England...via small fishing boats from the Breton ports of Camaret and Douarnenez.
And for Quimper pottery collectors, I've got a bit of more current trickery to report...
A reader had a question about this piece that was for sale online...
It is NOT Quimper pottery...
The reader was suspicious because the price was quite low and the seller had also listed additional "vintage Quimper" barber bowls. For someone searching long and hard for vintage Quimper barber bowls, this struck the collector as too good to be true...and unfortunately that was the case...NOT TRUE !
One telling clue is that the artistry of the motif shows a lack confidence...not a normal occurence with true vintage Quimper as the early artists had to complete years of apprenticeship prior to being allowed to tackle a complex scene. Further investigation fails to authenticate the exact form and glimpses of the clay body that shows through...
...show signs of being sanded to simulate wear. If it were a true vintage barber bowl, as a utilitarian piece the more logical place of signs of usage would be on the front. The mark...quimper...is identical to that found on fake Quimper that circulated on the market in the 1990s...a something that newer collectors might not be familiar with.
It didn't sit right with the reader and in the end, she was right to be cautious.
It didn't sit right with the reader and in the end, she was right to be cautious.
That's my memo for this month; I hope you enjoy my sharing our adventures in Quimper!