Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée
Monument
Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée, located in Arras (Pas-de-Calais), 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
- Arras, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.2908, 2.7643
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00107990
In the heart of Arras, this 18th-century residence proudly displays its sculpted Renommée sign, a winged figure emblematic of the flourishing trade in the capital of the Baroque Pas-de-Calais.
History
Nestling in the urban fabric of Arras, whose Grand'Place and Place des Héros form one of the most coherent Flemish Baroque ensembles in Europe, the Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée is one of those discreet jewels that bear witness to the commercial prosperity of the Artois region in the 18th century. Its very name is apt: the Renommée, a winged allegorical figure blowing its trumpet, was one of the most prized signs for merchants and craftsmen keen to display their reputation and success. What sets this house apart in the Arras landscape is precisely the permanence of its commercial identity, inscribed in stone. While so many shop signs have disappeared over the centuries, this one has survived the storms of history - and there were many in Arras, a front-line town during two world wars. This resilience gives it a memorial value that goes far beyond its architectural interest. The visit is part of a wider stroll through the historic centre of Arras. The house can be discovered in the movement of the town, as an architectural punctuation mark in an urban fabric where each façade tells a story of local history. The trained eye will spot the sculpted details that make the building so distinctive, while the curious stroller will have no trouble imagining the commercial bustle that once animated its surroundings. Arrage's setting adds even more interest to the visit: the town, carefully rebuilt after the Great War in keeping with its historic architectural canons, offers a remarkably homogenous urban environment. The Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée has a natural place here, an authentic vestige of a commercial and ambitious 18th century.
Architecture
The Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée is part of the domestic architectural style of 18th-century Artois, combining Flemish Baroque heritage with the influences of French Classicism, which was triumphant at the time. The façade, in keeping with local tradition, is probably made of brick and limestone, a typical combination in the Artois region, where reddish-ochre brick and white ashlar create an elegant layout, punctuated by pilasters, stringcourses and carefully aligned window surrounds. The most remarkable feature, of course, is the sculpted sign that gives the house its name. Carved in stone or modelled in high relief, the figure of Renommée - traditionally represented as a winged figure holding a trumpet - adorns the façade with a plasticity characteristic of the decorative vocabulary of the late Grand Siècle and the 18th century. This type of ornamental sculpture, a legacy of medieval and modern commercial practices, was both a distinctive sign and a statement of intent: the owner of the premises wanted to let everyone know of his reputation and ambition. The interior layout probably corresponds to the usual layout of Arras trading houses, with a commercial or craft ground floor opening onto the street, and an upper storey dwelling with a rational organisation of spaces around a central stairwell. The steeply pitched roof, in keeping with the building traditions of northern France, gives the building its characteristic silhouette.
Related Figures
Négociant ou artisan commanditaire (identité non établie, XVIIIe siècle)Maximilien de Robespierre — natif d'Arras (1758), figure tutélaire de la mémoire urbaineInspecteurs des Monuments historiques ayant instruit le dossier de protection (1946)Sculpteur anonyme auteur de l'enseigne de la Renommée
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée located?
Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée is located in Arras, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée built?
Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée open to visitors?
Maison à l'enseigne de la Renommée is currently closed to visitors.