Le décor baroque des églises du Labourd

Abstract

As a continuation of the work on the decoration of Basque churches in Iparralde, the study of three sacraria of Lapurdi makes us wonder about the origin of the models. The sacrarium of Halsou, the one at Esnazu (commissioned for the former church of Larressore) and that of Itxassou, have similarities that suggest the existence of a common spirit, and even of execution by the same craftsman. The presence of four bas-relief story panels, on one side and the other of the Eucharistic reserve, applies, in an original way, the Episcopal axioms of the Counter Reform. On the other hand, a clouds-and-winged-angels motif, sculpted on the central panel of the altarpiece, emphasises the tabernacle and tends to stress its importance and strategic role within the whole of the decoration. The comparisons with the sacrarium of Ossès and with that of San Juan de Luz clearly show the singularity of the formula.