Immeuble
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble, located in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer (Département 35), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.6196, -2.1323
- Mérimée Reference
- PA35000064
In Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, a shop front dating from 1925-26 stands out as a masterpiece of Art Deco mosaic: yellow-orange background, stylised plant decoration, signed Isidore Odorico fils.
History
At the heart of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, a popular seaside resort on the Côte d'Émeraude, stands a stone and brick building whose commercial façade immediately catches the eye. It is not its understated architecture that holds one's attention, but the flamboyant mosaic that entirely adorns its frontage: a carpet of tesserae in warm tones, dominated by a yellow-orange background upon which unfolds a vegetal decoration of distinctly Art Deco elegance. What makes this building truly singular is that it represents one of the very first works of monumental mosaic created by Isidore Odorico fils in a commercial setting. Executed between 1925 and 1926, this frontage inaugurates a remarkable body of work that the mosaicist would extend across the whole of Bretagne and the Angevin region over the following fifteen years. To observe this façade is therefore to contemplate the starting point of a major artistic adventure in the history of Breton decorative arts in the twentieth century. A visit — or rather a contemplation, since the building reveals itself principally from the street — offers a striking aesthetic experience. The particular play of light characteristic of the Breton climate transforms the nuances of the mosaic throughout the day: in the morning, the glazed ceramic catches the raking light and causes each tessera to shimmer; towards the end of the day, the warm tones blaze into life. Enthusiasts of decorative arts and twentieth-century architecture will find here an unmissable stopping point. The setting of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer adds to the charm of the discovery. A fishing village that became an elegant seaside resort at the end of the nineteenth century, the commune has retained an authentic character, far removed from the bustle of the great coastal towns. The building sits within this modest and well-preserved urban fabric, which further heightens the element of surprise provoked by the brilliance of its façade.
Architecture
The architecture of the building itself is sober and functional, typical of the buildings of the first half of the 20th century in Breton seaside resorts. The main body of the building is made of local cut stone and brick, with a sober massing and no particular sculpted ornamentation. The elevations follow a classical layout, with regular rectangular bays and a moderately pitched roof. There is nothing in this conventional architectural scheme to suggest the decorative exuberance of the shop front. But it is precisely this contrast that gives the building its strength. The shop front, entirely covered in mosaic, is a self-contained painting set against the building. The yellow-orange background, created by a meticulous selection of glazed ceramic tesserae, creates a warmth of colour that is rare under the often grey skies of Brittany. Against this luminous background, a stylised plant decoration unfolds - supple foliage, sinuous stems, geometric floral compositions - testifying to Isidore Odorico fils's perfect mastery of the ornamental codes of Art Deco. The precision of the installation, the quality of the materials and the coherence of the composition make this storefront a representative example of the great tradition of mosaics applied to architecture, inherited from Italian workshops and reinterpreted in a resolutely modern spirit.
Related Figures
Isidore Odorico fils — mosaïste rennais d'origine italienne, auteur de la devanture (1925-1926), figure majeure du décor architectural dans le grand Ouest françaisIsidore Odorico père — fondateur de la dynastie familiale de mosaïstes toscans installés à Rennes, transmetteur du savoir-faire artisanalCommanditaire anonyme de la devanture — commerçant ou propriétaire de l'immeuble ayant passé commande à Odorico vers 1925, acteur méconnu mais décisif de cette création
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble located?
Immeuble is located in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Immeuble built?
Immeuble dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Immeuble open to visitors?
Immeuble is currently closed to visitors.