Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle, located in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6770, 4.6253
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081147
Au cœur d'Arles, l'hôtel Icard-Duquesne conjugue l'élégance baroque provençale du XVIIIe siècle à l'histoire tumultueuse de la Révolution, incarnée par son illustre habitant Antoine d'Antonelle.
History
Nestling in the dense urban fabric of the old town of Arles, the Hôtel Icard-Duquesne - better known as the Hôtel d'Antonelle - is one of those discreet bourgeois palaces that make up the silent richness of Provence's heritage. Its sober yet refined façade bears witness to the taste of the great 18th-century families of Arles for architecture that combines classical dignity with southern sensibility. What distinguishes this private mansion from its Provencal counterparts is above all the density of its human history. Far from being a mere architectural testimonial, it was the scene of extraordinary destinies, starting with that of Antoine d'Antonelle, a revolutionary figure of fascinating ambivalence. The ashlar walls of this hotel have absorbed the passions of an era when France was reinventing itself through blood and ideas. Visiting the building from the outside offers the attentive visitor a lesson in architectural composition: the façade on the street reveals the typical balance of the Hôtel particulier du Midi, with its orderly bays, mullioned or small-wooded windows depending on the level, and a monumental gateway that defines the entrance between courtyard and garden. The relationship between the building and the public space is a perfect illustration of the way in which Arles' aristocracy and upper middle classes lived in the city during the Age of Enlightenment. Arles itself is an incomparable setting. With its Roman arenas (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), medieval streets and squares shaded by plane trees, the city is a living jewel case in which the Hôtel d'Antonelle fits in like another chapter in a story that goes back thousands of years. Lovers of history, architecture and Provence will find this an invaluable stop-off off the beaten track.
Architecture
The Hôtel d'Antonelle is fully in keeping with the tradition of the eighteenth-century Provencal town house, characterised by a synthesis of French classical rigour and a southern sensibility for light and open spaces. The main facade, built of ashlar limestone - the most important building material in Arles, quarried in the Alpilles or Les Baux regions - is laid out in regular bays, punctuated by windows with moulded frames and balustraded sills. The entrance gate, representative of the building's nobility, forms the transition between the public space of the street and the inner courtyard, in keeping with the principle of "between courtyard and garden" so dear to the aristocratic architecture of the period. The interior layout meets the requirements of bourgeois and aristocratic representative life: a main dwelling distributed over two or three storeys, with a grand staircase with a straight flight or banister over banister, typical of late-Grand Siècle Provencal buildings. The reception rooms on the ground floor, probably with stuccoed or painted ceilings and Carrara marble or sculpted limestone fireplaces, contrast with the sober exterior elevations - a reflection of an aesthetic in which opulence remained interior and private. The roofs, which are low-sloped in keeping with southern practice, are covered with Roman hollow tiles known as "canal" tiles, which give Provencal roofs their characteristic silhouette and warm colouring. Taken together, these buildings provide a coherent and precious testimony to the art of building in 18th-century Provence, at a time when Arles was seeking to assert itself as the cultural and administrative capital of Lower Provence.
Related Figures
Antoine-Marie d'Antonelle (1747-1817) — marquis révolutionnaire, maire d'Arles en 1792, juré lors du procès de Marie-Antoinette, partisan de BabeufFamille Icard — famille fondatrice et première propriétaire de l'hôtel, issue de la bourgeoisie arlésienne du XVIIIe siècleFamille Duquesne — famille associée à l'hôtel par alliance ou acquisition, dont le nom figure dans la dénomination officielle de l'édificeGracchus Babeuf (1760-1797) — révolutionnaire dont d'Antonelle fut l'un des compagnons lors de la Conjuration des Égaux, influençant indirectement l'histoire de l'hôtel
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle located?
Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle is located in Arles, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle built?
Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle open to visitors?
Hôtel Icard-Duquesne ou hôtel d'Antonelle is currently closed to visitors.
