Located on Cape Pointe du Raz in Brittany, the statue of Our Lady of the Shipwrecked is a monument dedicated to the memory of those who died at sea. The statue is a tourist attraction in the region and a destination for annual pilgrimages by Bretons. Few people remember, however, that its author is the Polish sculptor Cyprian Godebski. How did his work end up on one of the westernmost points of the French mainland?

The work of a Polish sculptor at the "French end of the world "
Situated on a rocky plateau on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, the sculptural group depicts Our Lady and Child, with a man kneeling at her feet. The young sailor is supporting himself on the rock with his left hand, while he raises his right hand in hope, trying to reach Mary, who is leaning towards him with the infant Jesus in her arms. Measuring over 4 metres high, the statue is entirely made of white and grey marble. Set on a granite pedestal of similar height, it makes a monumental impression against the backdrop of the endless ocean waves. The harsh nature of the site, almost devoid of vegetation and buildings, emphasises the significance of the work. The sculpture itself, while still possessing the hallmarks of academism, is clearly moving towards a realistic representation.

The idea of a sculptural group of Madonna and Child first appeared in Godebski's work in 1875, when he showed a model of a sculpture intended for Brittany at an exhibition in Warsaw. It is not known what the original genesis of the work was, but his return to it years later was linked to a personal tragedy in the artist's life. His son Ernest had died on the seas of South-East Asia. Godebski, having survived the death of his own child, gave this sculpture, later known as the Madonna of the Shipwrecked, as his votive offering to Mary.

Godebski's gift to the Bishopric of Quimper
A metal plaque on the pedestal of the monument describes the sculpture as Godebski's gift. This is what eventually happened, although it was originally intended to be commissioned by Count Alphée de Triobrand, a Breton landowner and friend of the sculptor. As a private memorial to local sailors, it was to stand in the village of Plounéour-Trez, where Triobrand held the office of mayor. However, the realisation of the project was prevented by the socio-political situation in France at the time. The administrative authorities, fearing religious demonstrations on the eve of the introduction of the separation of Church and State, blocked the monument's realisation.

The idea was taken up by the bishop of the nearby diocese of Quimper - F.V. Dubillard, who managed to find a new location for the Madonna of the Shipwrecked and to obtain permission from the local authorities to display it. In the end, the religious content of the sculpture was muted, emphasising its memorial function, commemorating the victims of the element of the sea. The plot of land on the rocky cape of Pointe du Raz was donated by a parishioner (Yves Kersaudy), while the sculpture itself was Godebski's personal gift to the bishopric and remains to this day the property of the ecclesiastical authorities, not the municipality. The artist did not take payment for the workmanship. He was only reimbursed for the cost of transporting the 11-tonne lump, carved in Carrara quarries. The sculpture was installed on 19 June 1904.

The procession of Our Lady of the Castaways and the restoration of the sculpture
Scheduled for 3 July 1904, the inauguration of the statue brought together crowds of pilgrims who came from all over Brittany. Coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, the event developed into a regional religious festival. Every year since then, the procession of Our Lady of Dissolution is celebrated on the last Sunday of July. The song sung during it in the Breton dialect also mentions the Godebski statue.

The centenary of the inauguration of the Madonna of the Castaways in 2004 was celebrated with particular solemnity. Crowds of the faithful and representatives of the local secular and ecclesiastical authorities once again gathered on the Pointe du Raz. Shortly afterwards, the sculpture received a thorough restoration. After a century of exposure to the damaging effects of wind and storms, its condition had severely deteriorated. A comprehensive restoration of the statue and its surroundings was carried out by local specialists in 2005.

Cyprian Godebski's links with Brittany
Although Cyprian Godebski's links with Brittany were mainly social, he also left some interesting works there. Unfortunately, these are not as well recognised as the sculptor's Parisian realisations. Apart from the Madonna of the Shipwrecked, the bronze statue of General Adolphe Le Flô in the main square of Lesneven is worthy of note. Godebski personally knew the general from St Petersburg, where he served as French ambassador from 1871 to 1879. In addition, on display at the museum in Brest is a medallion carved in 1899 by Godebski with an image of the poet Léocadie Salaun-Penquer, who was important to the local culture. This work is part of the collection of the Musée des Beaux-Arts founded by the portrayed.