Museum - Bread Or Butter Mark - Primitive Monstrance Decor - Folk Art - Auvergne

Dating: Late 18th century Origin: France – Auvergne, Haute-Loire Rare bread or butter brand in hardwood, used to imprint a symbolic motif on household loaves or blessed bread, sometimes also on blocks of butter during religious festivals. The object, carved from the block, has a slightly flared conical shape, with a wide, hollow-engraved base. The central decoration features a stylized monstrance, radiating with triangles and converging incisions, evoking the solar form of the Blessed Sacrament. The sides are decorated with solar rosettes and triangles, apotropaic motifs common in Auvergne folk art. These motifs served as much to decorate as to protect food, and to symbolically mark its belonging to a sacred time. This tool finds its place in the most modest peasant interiors, used at times of celebrations, communions, or the blessing of bread - a gesture as simple as it is deeply rooted in rural Catholic traditions. The surface is smooth, patinated, slightly browned by use. The marks of time (old cracks, slight chip) do not alter in any way the readability of the decoration or the graphic strength of the whole. Dimensions: 9 cm Condition: very good general condition, stable crack, beautiful homogeneous patina, well-preserved decoration. ALL DELIVERIES ARE MADE BY DHL EXPRESS ONLY.