Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue
MonumentHidden Treasure
Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue, located in Morlaix (Département 29), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Morlaix, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5768, -3.8296
- Mérimée Reference
- PA29000110
The home and studio of an exceptional Breton master glassmaker, this Morlaix building houses intact 19th-century painted decorations - an intimate and fascinating catalogue of the work of Jean-Louis Nicolas.
History
In the heart of Morlaix, a town of trade and character, 13 rue Longue is home to one of Finistère's most unusual domestic treasures. Behind the sober facade, typical of middle-class buildings from the second half of the 19th century, lies an interior of rare ornamental richness: walls and ceilings entirely covered with decorative paintings by Jean-Louis Nicolas, a master glassmaker and decorative painter whose stained glass windows still light up the naves of dozens of Breton churches. What makes this place so special is precisely its character as a built self-portrait. Nicolas didn't just inhabit these walls - he transformed them into a personal manifesto of his art. Each piece reflects his favourite themes: floral and plant motifs inspired by Breton nature, historical and religious references, geometric ornamentation evoking stained glass techniques. Together, they form a living catalogue, a work album that the artist leafed through on a daily basis between two church projects. The property is more than just the main building facing the street. A return wing extends the house to the rear, communicating directly with the workshop where the stained-glass windows commissioned by the parishes of the Quimper diocese were designed and produced. This physical link between the living space and the creative space gives the whole a rare coherence: here, work and life were one. The terraced garden, entirely enclosed by high walls, descends in three successive levels in the manner of a priest's garden or a Breton domestic enclosure. This vertical organisation, typical of the sloping land in Morlaix, offers a succession of intimate, plant-filled spaces that prolong the unique atmosphere of the place, halfway between an artist's studio and a provincial bourgeois home. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2022, the building at 13 rue Longue has finally received official recognition commensurate with its heritage importance. For anyone interested in nineteenth-century decorative art, religious stained glass or the social history of the arts and crafts in Brittany, this address is an essential stop-off point for understanding an area and an era.
Architecture
The facade of the main building is typical of middle-class Morlaix buildings from the second half of the 19th century: sober and rectilinear, it is aligned with rue Longue without trying to attract attention with ostentatious exterior ornamentation. Local materials - Armorican granite and schist - dominate, in keeping with the building practices of the region. The natural slate roof blends in with the urban landscape of provincial Morlaix. However, the main architectural interest lies in the overall composition of the property and its interior decor. The main building on the street is extended by a wing set at right-angles that establishes a direct connection with the stained glass workshop, creating a functional flow between domestic and productive spaces. This rational organisation reflects the pragmatic spirit of a craftsman keen to optimise his working environment. The outbuildings complete the ensemble on the edge of the garden. The interior decor is the real architectural pièce de résistance of the building. The walls and ceilings of the reception rooms and private areas are covered with painted compositions of great technical mastery: architectural trompe-l'œil, plant friezes, figurative medallions and geometric ornaments follow one another in a coherent decorative programme. These paintings, done in oil and tempera, call on the same skills as stained glass - a sense of colour, mastery of preparatory drawing and knowledge of pigments - and are an exceptional testimony to the ornamental culture of 19th-century provincial art. The terraced garden, laid out on three levels, gives the complex its distinctive personality.
Related Figures
Jean-Louis Nicolas (1816-1899) — peintre décorateur et maître-verrier morlaisien, propriétaire fondateur de l'atelier et auteur des décors intérieursLes héritiers Nicolas — continuateurs de l'atelier de vitrail de la fin du XIXe siècle jusqu'aux années 1930Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) — architecte et théoricien dont le programme de restauration des édifices gothiques stimula la commande de vitraux en FranceMgr Graveran et ses successeurs, évêques de Quimper — commanditaires ecclésiastiques des vitraux d'église finistériens attribués à l'atelier Nicolas
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue located?
Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue is located in Morlaix, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue built?
Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue open to visitors?
Immeuble situé 13 rue Longue is currently closed to visitors.