Industrial · Monuments

Lamoricière Cenotaph

Paul Dubois Nantes

The Lamoricière cenotaph is a funerary work installed and inaugurated in 1879 in the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes. Erected under the action of bishop Alexandre Jaquemet and with the support of Pope Pius IX, it was created as a testimony of gratitude for services rendered to the papacy, notably after La Moricière’s involvement in the defense of the Holy See during the political troubles of the 1860s. The monument is classified as a Historical Monument.

Known as Le Monument, it is made of white marble and framed by four bright black bronze statues. Its architectural plan was designed by Louis Boitte, and its execution was entrusted to Moisseron from Angers. The cenotaph represents La Moricière lying on an altar covered by a dais supported by alternating black and white columns and pilasters. It shows the general with a heavy, worked shroud, a crucifix in his right hand, and a sword at his left side. The monument also includes inscriptions and cartouches, as well as bronze statues by Paul Dubois representing virtues at its four corners.

Map showing the location of Lamoricière cenotaph in Nantes
Location of Lamoricière cenotaph in Nantes

Nearby Objects

Cenotaph in Nantes Cathedral

The Lamoriciere cenotaph is a funerary work installed and inaugurated in 1879 in the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul cathedral in Nantes. It was erected under the action of bishop Alexandre Jaquemet, with the support of pope Pius IX. The monument serves as a testimony of gratitude for services rendered to the papacy, referring to Lamoriciere's participation in the defense of the Holy See during the Italian political troubles of the 1860s. Although the cenotaph is placed in Nantes, the tomb of Lamoriciere is located in Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, the place of origin of his family. The funerary work is classified as a Historical Monument.

Design and Iconography of the Lamoriciere Cenotaph

Le Monument is made of white marble and is framed by four bright black bronze statues. Its architectural plan was designed by architect Louis Boitte, and its execution was entrusted to Moisseron from Angers. The monument represents La Moriciere lying on an altar covered by a dais supported by alternating black and white columns and pilasters. The general is shown with his body covered by a heavy, worked shroud, presented as a young vigorous man with delicate facial features. He holds a crucifix in his right hand, while a sword rests at his left side.

The monument is rich in inscriptions and symbolic details. Cartouches on one side read Fides, Fortitudo, Consilium, while those on the other side read Caritas, Justitia, Virtus. On each extremity of the baldaquin appears the inscription Optimo viro et clarissimo duci Juchault De La Moriciere amici sodales commilitones que hoc monumentum posuere. At the foot of the slab, a longer text presents La Moriciere's military career in Africa, the events of 1848, the defense of the Holy See, his personal losses, and his death in 1865. The top of the dais is finished with acroteria bearing the arms of Juchault de la Moriciere and Pope Pius IX.

The Bronze Figures of Les Vertus

Les Vertus is marked by four bronze statues placed at the monument's four corners, each inserted into the structure at an angle by means of recesses. The figures were created by the sculptor Paul Dubois, whose work was admired by the public at its presentation. They are described as recalling Italian statuary, Florentine masters, and Michelangelo, in keeping with Dubois's association with the Neo-Florentines group. At the head of the cenotaph is a statue of a woman breastfeeding her children, representing Charity, and beside it an old man deep in study, representing Wisdom. At the opposite end stands a young girl with joined hands, representing Faith, with an armed warrior to her left, representing Military Courage.

Comparisons with Earlier Tombs

The Lamoriciere cenotaph is often discussed through comparison with earlier tombs and mausoleums, especially the tomb of Francois II across the transept of the cathedral. Its structure is said to owe more to the Italian Renaissance school than to purely aesthetic concerns, and it is also seen in the organization of the mausoleum and the seated statues at the corners, like the tomb of Anne de Bretagne and Louis XII. Such comparisons place it within a broader tradition that also includes the tomb in the basilica Saint-Denis, the necropolis of the kings of France, and the work created by the Italian hands of the Juste brothers. At the same time, the Lamoriciere cenotaph is distinguished from the masterpiece tomb of Francois II, which it does not match in status. Its statues by Paul Dubois are noted for their individual intensity and sweetness, giving them a more individualized and moralized character than medieval work.