Raffig Tullou (born Raphaël Jean-Baptiste Joseph Tulou), alias Neven Lewarc’h (6 January 1909 in

Mordelles Mordelles (; ; Gallo: ''Mordèll'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France. Geography The river Meu forms the commune's southwestern border. Population Inhabitants of Mordelles are called in French ' ...

– 16 January 1990 in

Saint-Herblain Saint-Herblain (; br, Sant-Ervlan, ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Loire-Atlantique Departments of France, department, administrative region of Pays de la Loire (Brittany (historical province), Brittany as historical region), France. I ...

) was a

Breton Breton most often refers to: *anything associated with Brittany, and generally ** Breton people ** Breton language, a Southwestern Brittonic Celtic language of the Indo-European language family, spoken in Brittany ** Breton (horse), a breed **Ga ...

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and

set design Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trained ...

er. His works included modern Celto-Breton furnishing art,

wood carving Wood carving is a form of woodworking by means of a cutting tool (knife) in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation ...

stone carving Stone carving is an activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled removal of stone. Owing to the permanence of the material, stone work has survived which was created during our prehistory or past time. Work carried ...

s, and restoration of historical buildings.

Life

Tullou came to prominence as a member of the Breton artistic movement

Seiz Breur Seiz Breur was an artistic movement founded in 1923 in Brittany. Although it adopted the symbolic name ''seiz breur'', meaning ''seven brothers'' in the Breton language, this did not refer to the number of members, but to the title of a folk-story. ...

, and attempted to adapt his style to merge classical and Breton regional traditions. Like other members of the group, he was also involved in Breton nationalist politics. Following the split in the

Breton Autonomist Party The Breton Autonomist Party (french: Parti Autonomiste Breton or PAB, br, Strollad Emrenerien Vreiz) was a political party which existed in Brittany from 1927 to 1931. Origin The party was created at the first congress of the nationalist journal ' ...

, in 1934, Tullou, Gestalen, Francis Bayer du Kern, Goulven Mazéas and

Morvan Marchal Morvan Marchal (31 July 1900, Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine – 13 August 1963, Paris), is the Breton name of Maurice Marchal, an architect and a militant Breton nationalist. He is best known for having designed the national flag of Brittany. Biog ...

created the Breton Federalist Movement, which sought Breton federal autonomy within France. This was set up because of the creation of the extremist

Breton National Party The Breton National Party (French ''Parti National Breton'', Breton ''Strollad Broadel Breizh'') was a nationalist party in Brittany that existed from 1931 to 1944. The party was disbanded after the liberation of France in World War II, because of ...

, which had pro-Nazi sympathies. Nevertheless, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he reported for

L'Heure Bretonne ''L'Heure Bretonne'' ("The Breton Times") was a Breton nationalist weekly newspaper which was published from June 1940 to June 1944. It was the organ of the Breton National Party and was strongly associated with collaborationist politics during Wor ...

, the newspaper of the BNP. In 1944, he became the last

Secretary General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...

, following the resignation of

René-Yves Creston René-Yves Creston (25 October 1898 – 30 May 1964), born René Pierre Joseph Creston, was a Breton artist, designer and ethnographer who founded the Breton nationalist art movement Seiz Breur. During World War II he was active in the French Resi ...

Neo-druidism

In the 1930s Tullou turned his attention towards

druidic A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

studies. In 1936, he, Morvan Marchal, and Francis Bayer du Kern founded

Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel Kredenn Geltiek (Celtic Creed) is a neo-Pagan Druidic group founded in Brittany in 1936. It was later known as Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel (Celtic Creed of the World). It now exists under the name Kevanvod Tud Donn (Parliament of people of Dêua Ana ...

(Worldwide Celtic Beliefs), also known as ''Kevanvod Tud Donn'' and ''Dêua Ana''. In addition, he also founded a journal about druidic studies and philosophy called Kad (combat). During

, the journal changed its name to become ''Nemeton'' (sanctuary). Today, it is known as ''Ialon-Kad-Nemeton''.

Post-War

In 1954, he founded Koun Breizh (Remember Bretons), to promote Breton artistic heritage and Breton administrative organizations. Through the movement he sought to commemorate Breton national heroes, and was responsible for the statue of

Nominoë Nominoe or Nomenoe (french: Nominoë; br, Nevenoe; c. 800, 7 March 851) was the first Duke of Brittany from 846 to his death. He is the Breton ''pater patriae'' and to Breton nationalists he is known as ' ("father of the country"). ...

, the first independent

Duke of Brittany This is a list of rulers of the Duchy of Brittany. In different epochs the sovereigns of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary r ...

, at

Bains-sur-Oust Bains-sur-Oust (, literally ''Bains on Oust''; , Gallo: ''Bein'') is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine departement in Brittany in northwestern France. Population Inhabitants of Bains-sur-Oust are called ''Bainsois'' in French. Personalities * ...

. He also designed the commemorative plaque for the 18th century Breton rebel Marquis de Pontcallec in the Place du Bouffay, in

Nantes Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabita ...

. In 1966, he created Skoed (The Shield) to be the official newspaper of Koun Breizh.

Raffig Tullou has also invested in the restoration of sculptures

*Restoration of the bronze group entitled For the flag due to

Georges Bareau Georges Marie Valentin Bareau (11 April 1866 in Paimbœuf - 4 January 1931 in Nantes) was a French sculptor. Biography Georges Bareau's father was a carpenter in Paimbœuf. He entered the École des beaux-arts de Paris where he was a pup ...

, group from the War Memorial of 1870 in Nantes. *Restoration of the plaster statue of Alain Barbetorte,Statue of Alain Barbetorte (https://abp.bzh/photos/36/36952_7.jpg). ''Plaster statue of Alain Barbetorte, Amédée-Renée Médard, 1861, inventory number D 981.1.1 - Chantal Hémon, Dobrée Museum, General Council of Loire-Atlantique, Nantes.'' a monumental work by the sculptor

Amédée Ménard Amédée-René Ménard (16 October 1806 — 22 October 1873) was a French academic sculptor and art teacher. Biography Amédée Ménard was born in Nantes, France, the son of René François Ménard, a timber merchant. He studied art with local ...

, which having been removed from the prefecture of Nantes where it has been enthroned for a century, was vandalized in the courtyard of the castle of the Dukes of Brittany where it had been relegated.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tullou, Rafig 1909 births 1990 deaths Breton nationalists Breton artists People from Ille-et-Vilaine French modern pagans Modern pagan artists Founders of modern pagan movements