Mariner’s Cross with Instruments of the Passion Circa 1820

A gem of Popular Art, this complete and pretty Rhône sailor's cross is presented in its niche under glass standing out against a starry night blue background.
The so-called “mariner’s” crosses were found on Rhône boats, therefore assigned to river transport on the Rhône. These are religious crosses, erected at the bow of the boats and which are intended to protect the crew during their navigations.
Made by the boatmen themselves, they were worked and sculpted in their free time with stranded or drifted wood, found on the river or on the banks, then painted in bright colors.
They have the specificity of being decorated with “Arma Christi”, the instruments of Christ’s passion. The religious symbols present are practically always the same (we have attached here with the photos an explanatory document of the symbols represented)
In the 20th century, many enthusiasts attributed a double meaning to sailors' crosses, religious and secular. Religious because it faithfully illustrates the story of the Gospels and secular because certain objects (hammer, ladder, pincers, etc.) could refer to the work of the sailors, as well as to that of the different trades which operated alongside the crews Rhône: carpenters, farriers, blacksmiths...
The sailor's crosses were blessed by the priest before leaving for the "decize" (descent of the Rhône) or the return journey.
Tradition dictates that boatmen who cease to carry out their activity permanently take their cross to church.
These were the first steamboats which caused the decline of the Rhône inland waterway industry around the middle of the 19th century, bringing with them the end of the production of these superb crosses around 1830.
For centuries, the sailor's cross, a true object of popular art, carried high the pride of an entire corporation. This legendary cross arouses emotion today.

Our cross meets exactly the research and authenticity criteria described by Sophie Sesmat (CNES expert in popular art objects and curiosities) in her article ''objects of yesterday/mariner's cross'' which we are largely inspired by the description above. We have also added some information gleaned during our visit to Serrières. In this village on the banks of the Rhône, the Saint-Sornin chapel, dating from the 12th and 14th centuries, has housed the Mariners' Museum since 1939. It is possible to admire a collection of seven mariners' crosses next to which our cross could be placed. add without hesitation.

Dimensions with base
H. 56 cm x L. 38 cm x D. 14.5 cm

France – Rhône
Polychrome wood
Circa 1820