Your cart
There are no more items in your cart
ARTS & CRAFTS
FROM LE MINOR
Tapisserie de DOM-ROBERT--Oiseaux rares
ARTS & CRAFTS
FROM LE MINOR
The Maison LE MINOR has always championed the art of decorative embroidery that was the trademark of traditional Breton and Bigouden costumes.
This highly skilled know-how is not only maintained but renewed thanks to our production of exceptional commissions such as tapestries, church banners and bespoke vestments or ceremonial garments.
To achieve such ambition, the Maison LE MINOR started collaborating with renowned artists. Pierre Toulhoat, was the first one who, in 1953 designed a banner with the effigy of St Corentin for the church of Locronan.
Such productions allowed to maintain and encourage this traditional know-how in Bigouden country at its highest level.
Following these first banner came embroidered panels and large tapestries. Marie-Anne Le Minor who was always keen to collaborate with distinguished artists met the Benedictine monk Dom Robert in 1947. A disciple of Lurçat, his cartoons woven in Aubusson were already higly praised. When Marie-Anne asked him whether he would agree for them to be embroidered by hand in the LE MINOR workshops, he was at first reluctant but soon came to admire the extraordinary finish of hand-embroidery. He then gave his approval for twenty of his Aubusson cartoons to be embroidered by LE MINOR. Other artists of note such as Picard Le-Doux, Simon Chaye, Pierre Toulhoat followed suit and the art of embroidered tapestry, using a technique similar to that of the famous ancient Bayeux tapestry. The Maison LE MINOR has kept this tradition very much alive and today, contemporary designers and artists such as Gwenn Le Gac, Amélie Fish and Patrice Cudennec create cartoons for tapestries created in our workshop.
LES TAPISSERIES
Tapisserie "Feuilles d'Or" de Dom-Robert.
Fragment-de-"L'arbre d'Or"
Tapisserie "Aquarium" de Picard Le Doux
Tapisserie "La Chasse aux Papillons" de Dom Robert
Tapisserie "Les Marins" de Patrice Cudennec
LE MINOR BANNERS
The history of the LE MINOR company and the banners for religious processions is a story that began 60 years ago. It was in 1953 that the first banner was produced in the LE MINOR workshops. This banner was ordered by the parish of Locronan and was dedicated to Saint Corentin. The design for this banner was created by artist Pierre Toulhoat.
Eglise de Locronan - Pierre Toulhoat, 1953
Basilique de Sainte-Anne d'Auray - André Bouler, 1954
Banniére LOCRONAN
The LE MINOR banners were truly revolutionary when they came into being, first because of their colors, the backgrounds as well as the embroidery threads, and also because of the story they told.
1965 Nantes
1991 Locadour
1988 Quimper
Up to that point, all of the saints portrayed were practically identical – only their names were changed – whereas for its banners, LE MINOR called on artists who told a story in their designs. For example, on the pilgrimage banner of the diocese of Quimper, placed around Saint Corentin is the cathedral of Quimper, the King Gradlon on his horse, and a fish, the symbol of Saint Corentin.
These artists – Pierre Toulhoat, André Bouler, Jos Le Corre, Patrick Camus, Jean Renault, Guillaume Moullec, Patrice Cudennec, Bruno Le Floch, Jakez Derouet, Claude Huart, among others – created and still create emblems definitively contemporary which illustrate the life of the saints and of their parish, using Breton decorative elements. They superbly combine historical and religious heritage with traditional Breton style. The LE MINOR banners are truly Breton banners, because they allow artists to express their talent and the embroiderers to demonstrate all of their savoir-faire.
To date, forty-four banners have come out the LE MINOR ateliers. Truly the LE MINOR workshop in Pont L'Abbé is the most important specialist in banners in Brittany and one of the few remaining in France.