The double-faced statue in Nantes is Prudence, one of four marble virtues at the corners of the tomb of Francis II, the last independent Duke of Brittany, in Saint-Pierre Cathedral. From the front she is a young woman holding a mirror; walk behind her and you meet the bearded face of an old man. The tomb was carved by Michel Colombe and finished in 1507.
The statue of Prudence at a glance
- Where: on the tomb of Francis II and Marguerite de Foix in the south transept of the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, Nantes.
- Created: completed in 1507; moved into the cathedral in 1817.
- By: the sculptor Michel Colombe and his workshop, to a design by the painter Jean Perréal.
- What it is today: part of the first major Renaissance monument in Brittany. After the 2020 cathedral fire the whole tomb was taken apart in 2023 for a long restoration; check whether it is back on display before you go.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes at the tomb, about 45 minutes for the cathedral.
A daughter's monument to her parents
Francis II died in 1488, and his daughter Anne of Brittany, who became Queen of France, commissioned a tomb for him and her mother, Marguerite de Foix. Jean Perréal drew the design and Michel Colombe, then an old man and the leading sculptor of the Loire, carved it in Carrara marble with his workshop. It was finished in 1507 and placed in the church of the Carmelite friars in Nantes. When Anne died in 1514, her own heart was brought to Nantes in a gold reliquary and placed inside her parents' tomb.
The French Revolution nearly destroyed the monument. When the Carmelite church was demolished, the architect Mathurin Crucy had the tomb taken apart and hidden, which saved it. It was rebuilt in Saint-Pierre Cathedral in 1817. In July 2020 an arson attack caused serious damage to the cathedral. The tomb was not touched by the flames but suffered from smoke and from salts eating into the stone, and in 2023 it was dismantled so that its parts could be cleaned and desalinated. The cathedral itself reopened in September 2025.
What to look for
- Prudence: the young woman's face at the front, the old man's bearded face at the back, the mirror for self-knowledge, the compass for measured action and the snake at her feet.
- Justice, at another corner, with her crown, a sword half hidden in her scarf and the scales.
- Strength, dressed in armour, pulling a dragon out of a tower, and Temperance, holding a bridle and a clock.
- The two effigies lying side by side: Francis with a lion at his feet for strength, Marguerite with a greyhound for fidelity, and angels holding their pillows.
- The small figures in pink marble niches around the sides, including the apostles, Charlemagne and Saint Louis, and the black-hooded mourners in the medallions below.
Why two faces?
In Renaissance art, Prudence looks both ways: the old man stands for the experience of the past, the young woman for the ability to look ahead. Her mirror is a call to know yourself, and the snake recalls the advice in the Gospel of Matthew to be wise as serpents. It is often said that the young face is a portrait of Anne of Brittany herself, whose chief virtue a poet of her time said was prudence; it is a plausible tradition rather than a documented fact.
Tips for your visit
- Walk all the way round the tomb: the back of Prudence is the whole point, and many visitors only see the front.
- The cathedral's white tufa stone makes the interior bright; come in the morning for the best light on the marble.
- It is a place of worship: keep quiet, and avoid visiting during services.
Nearby
- Château des ducs de Bretagne: the castle where Francis II and Anne of Brittany lived, now home to the Nantes history museum, a few minutes' walk away.
- Porte Saint-Pierre: a 15th-century town gate beside the cathedral, built on Gallo-Roman foundations.
- Musée d'arts de Nantes: the city's fine arts museum, just behind the cathedral.
- Passage Pommeraye: a 19th-century shopping arcade on several levels, with carved statues and iron staircases.
See Nantes with World City Trail
Our Nantes scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 36 minutes of walking. Saint-Pierre Cathedral, where the tomb stands, is one of the stops.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Nantes.
Play the Nantes scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Nantes →
Play the outdoor escape game in Nantes →
Facts checked in October 2026.