Hôtel Ricard de Saint Albin, dit aussi hôtel Ribbe
MonumentHidden Treasure
A jewel of Aix civil architecture from the Grand Siècle, the Hôtel Ricard de Saint-Albin displays the discreet elegance of Provençal Baroque, with its ordered façade and sculpted portal of rare finesse.
History
In the heart of old Aix-en-Provence, the Hôtel Ricard de Saint-Albin - also known as the Hôtel Ribbe - stands out as one of those private mansions that are the silent glory of the Pays d'Aix. Built in the last quarter of the 17th century, it perfectly embodies the art of living of the noblesse de robe and the haute bourgeoisie of Provence at a time when Louis XIV was imposing his classical taste throughout the kingdom. What sets this building apart from the many private mansions in Aix is the remarkable coherence of its architectural composition. Unlike many residences that have been remodelled over the centuries, it retains the stylistic unity specific to the period in which it was built, offering the discerning eye an almost intact testimony to Aix's urban aesthetic at the end of the reign of the Sun King. The sober, controlled street facade reveals the hand of craftsmen well-versed in the canons of southern classicism in its sculpted details - window frames, cornice modelling. Entering the inner courtyard of the hotel is like entering a transitional space between the hustle and bustle of the city and the tranquillity of the aristocracy. The layout of the flat, with its hierarchical volumes and grand staircases with forged banisters, bears witness to a concept of social representation in which architecture spoke as much as titles. Lovers of urban history will find here a compendium of Aix's most authentic features. The surrounding area reinforces this feeling of being plunged into the past. Aix-en-Provence, the former capital of the Parliament of Provence, is one of France's richest cities in terms of 17th- and 18th-century private mansions, and the Hôtel Ricard de Saint-Albin fits naturally into this exceptional urban ensemble, just a stone's throw from the plane-tree-shaded courtyards and mossy fountains that are the hallmark of Cézanne's city.
Architecture
The Hôtel Ricard de Saint-Albin is in the tradition of Provençal town houses built in the second half of the 17th century, combining the classical rigour of Paris and Versailles with the subtle inflections of Mediterranean Baroque. The façade on the street, with its rigorous symmetrical layout, features carefully designed bays with crossettes and horizontal modelling - stringcourses, projecting cornices - characteristic of the region's classical vocabulary. The entrance portal, the centrepiece of the composition, is probably adorned with pilasters or engaged columns topped with a sculpted entablature, in keeping with the custom of the Aachen nobility. The interior layout follows the canonical layout of the southern private mansion: a carriage entrance leads to an inner courtyard paved with local limestone, around which the main buildings are arranged. The grand staircase, an essential element of prestige, was to be located centrally or to one side of the courtyard, with a wrought-iron banister in the floral and geometric motifs fashionable under Louis XIV. The flats on the first floor, known as the noble floor, feature the most elaborate decoration: French or Italian-style ceilings, Sainte-Baume or Carrara marble fireplaces and painted wood panelling. The materials used are those of traditional Aix construction: the light-coloured limestone of the Pays d'Aix, quarried in the region, gives the buildings their characteristic golden hue, which unifies the facades of the old centre. The low-sloped roofs, in keeping with Provençal custom, are covered with canal tiles. Originally, as today, the buildings exude an impression of balance and luminous sobriety, typical of classical architecture in the south of France.
Related Figures
Famille Ricard de Saint-Albin — commanditaires et premiers propriétaires de l'hôtel, appartenant à la noblesse parlementaire provençaleFamille Ribbe — propriétaires successifs ayant donné leur nom à la demeure en alternance avec les Ricard de Saint-AlbinLouis XIV — dont le règne et le goût architectural ont impulsé la grande vague de construction des hôtels particuliers aixoisPierre Puget — sculpteur et architecte marseillais, figure tutélaire du baroque provençal contemporain de la constructionLaurent Vallon — architecte aixois actif dans le dernier quart du XVIIe siècle, dont l'œuvre influence l'architecture civile de la région
