Restaurant "Les Mélèzes". (1946)Mucem
Farmhouse bread
Loaves of bread are placed on the table at the village hall, delivered weekly by the baker. This is a typical image of rural France long ago, when bread was the staple food of a number of French people.
Monsieur Rat fait le signe de croix sur le pain avec son couteau.Mucem
The body of Christ
In Christianity, bread represents the body of Christ. Because of this, in a similar vein to the prayer that takes place before each meal, it's traditional to cross a loaf of bread when first opening it.
Crossing bread
It is customary to trace the shape of a cross over the bread using a knife, to symbolize the crucifix.
Galette pour le pain bénit de la messe des RameauxMucem
The French expression known as pain bénit;
The French expression pain bénit originates from Christianity. Pain bénit (blessed bread) is the equivalent of the English expression "manna from heaven", and refers to something that happens exactly when needed, like a divine gift, without any effort.
Couteau à painMucem
Breadknife
Bread is rarely eaten totally fresh. More often than not, it is stale or very hard. That is why a particularly sturdy knife is often needed to slice it, often one that's shaped like a sickle.
Coupe-painMucem
Bread slicer
The knife blade is partially hooked onto a bread board.
L'heure de la soupeMucem
Supper time
Very hard bread is cut into pieces then left to soften in a soup made of hot water, sometimes made more appealing by the addition of potatoes, cabbage, garden vegetables and, more rarely, cheap cuts of pork.
Pain cuit dans le four (1938)Mucem
Commission: Edouard de Laubrie
