Max Ernst in Amboise, Indre-et-Loire (37)

This hugely impressive sculpture by Max Ernst is called Aux cracheurs, aux drôles, au génie and was made between 1967 and 1968. Here, he pays homage to Touraine – where he lived for ten years – and also to Leonardo de Vinci.* A plaque at the side of the sculpture speaks of hybrid creatures, half-animal and half-human. There are in fact ten sculptures, four in bronze and six in resin. At the top is the bird figure, the Grand Génie with its outspread wings. Under are turtles and frogs spitting into the water. Gloriously insane.

Le Grand Génie.

La Grande grenouille (big frog).

La Grande Tortue (big turtle).

Two assistant frogs.

One of the six little turtles.

*It is of course normal to take a photo of Leonardo de Vinci's grave if in Amboise. However, the Chapelle de Saint-Hubert in the Château d'Amboise is under restoration so his grave is not to be seen at the moment. Not that we're châteaux people anyway: this blog is supposed to be mainly about the obscure, and the tourist trap which is Amboise is far from obscure.

Boîtes à lire in Amboise, Indre-et-Loire (37)

Well, two boîtes à lire in Amboise anyway: I've no idea if there are any more.

Gonzague Saint Bris in Amboise, Indre-et-Loire (37)

Gonzague Saint Bris (1948-2017) lies in the family plot in the Cimetière des Ursulines in Amboise. Among numerous publications he wrote several novels, a large number of historical works, and a large number of biographies. He died in a car accident in Saint-Hymer, where his partner Alice Bertheaume was driving and was found guilty of 'involuntary homicide', having driven when having an excess of alcohol in her blood: her sentence was six months prison with reprieve. Saint Bris was not wearing a seat belt.