The estuary of the Douron, the Plestin-les-Grèves

Thème Toul-an-Héry dans l’oeuvre de Macario VITALIS

Toul-an-Héry is the estuary of the Douron, the river separating Plestin-les-Grèves (Côtes d’Armor) from Locquirec (Finistère). This “river” meanders in long grassy stretches from the Moalic bridge (the point where the tide rises the highest in the Douron) to in front of the Tour d’Argent manor. The Douron then flows into the sea through the Toul-an-Héry estuary and its lookout, the red beacon of Pichodour. VITALIS has painted these three places on numerous occasions, over different periods and in different styles.

Seascape – 1986

back to artistic themes

The Moalic bridge was a great inspiration to VITALIS, especially its elegant round arch. He depicted it in its valley, with the surrounding farms and hills. He also used the simple arch and its reflection, which forms a perfect circle. Today, the stone arch has been replaced by a concrete deck, but the grassy meanders of the Douron are still there… Note also the difference in the representation of the bridge deck, slightly angular at the beginning, flat thereafter. Similarly, a “village-castle” overlooks the valley from 1981 onwards…

The Moalic bridge before 1945, as known by VITALIS

Landscape with a bridge in Brittany – circa 1939

Pont du Moalic – 1947

Bretagne (Pont Moalic) – 1955

Pont du Moalic cubiste- date non connue

Paysage cubiste avec un pont – 1956

Pont du Moalic cubisant – date non connue

Le Pont- 1978

The valley of Saint-Haran and the bridge of Moalic before 1945

Landscape with a bridge – circa 1946

Pont du Moalic – 1951

Pont du Moalic – 1956

Pont du Moalic – 1978

Le Pont- 1976

Le village au-dessus du pont – 1981

Pont du Moalic – 1982

Le pont du Moalic – 1983

“The village”, “Landscape of Brittany”, …

several titles of the paintings refer in fact to a representation of the Tour d’Argent manor house, a 16th century manor house located upstream from the bridge. The eleven paintings below show variations in style and colour for VITALIS (his “Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral”?). Note the varying perspective of the annex in front of the river (left or right), as well as the regular (massive) presence of a boat in front of this annex.