Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise, located in Hennebont (Département 56), 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
- Hennebont, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8053, -3.2743
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091281
In the heart of Hennebont, this 16th-century house conceals on its gable a bas-relief of the Annunciation of rare grace - a jewel of Breton stone listed as a Historic Monument in 1934.
History
Nestling a stone's throw from Hennebont's Place de l'Église, this 16th-century house belongs to that category of monuments that you pass by without seeing them, and which nevertheless reserve surprises of a rare intensity. Its interest lies not in its monumental façade or ambitious plan, but in an unexpectedly fine sculpted detail: a bas-relief of the Annunciation, inlaid into the gable at first-floor level, like a stone illumination frozen in time. This type of devotional ornamentation on a private residence bears witness to a widespread practice in 16th-century Brittany, where the boundary between domestic space and the sacred remained permeable. Wealthy middle-class people, merchants and royal officers liked to place their homes under the protection of a pious image, thus displaying their faith as much as their social status. The scene of the Annunciation - the kneeling Virgin receiving the greeting of the Angel Gabriel - is one of the most popular iconographic subjects in Breton religious sculpture of the Renaissance. A visit to this monument is more of a discovery than a guided tour. You have to look up, stop and take the time to observe the quality of the carving, the softness of the drapery and the balance of the composition. The bas-relief, of unknown provenance, is as intriguing as it is moving: was it sculpted for this house or salvaged from a defunct religious building? The question remains open, and it is precisely this mystery that gives this ensemble its endearing character. Hennebont's setting adds to its charm. A fortified medieval town on the banks of the Blavet, it has preserved a number of architectural testimonies to its flourishing past - ramparts, tower-porch, Notre-Dame-du-Paradis basilica - within which this house sits like a discreet but precious piece of a coherent urban jigsaw. A must-see for anyone exploring Breton heritage with a keen eye.
Architecture
The house is typical of 16th-century Breton civil architecture: a sober volume, probably made of local granite, built over two storeys, with a gable facing the street, which is the most elaborate face of the building. Granite was ubiquitous in Breton construction during this period, providing both structural strength and a surface that was ideal for fine carving, as demonstrated by the quality of the surviving bas-relief. The bas-relief of the Annunciation, inlaid and framed in the gable at first-floor level, is the architectural and artistic centrepiece of the complex. The composition, described as "classic" by the heritage notices, depicts the kneeling Virgin receiving the greeting of the Angel Gabriel - a recurring iconographic motif in Breton sculpture of the Renaissance, and one that can be found on parish enclosures and the façades of contemporary religious buildings. The inclusion of the relief in a sculpted frame underlines the deliberate decorative intent and technical mastery of the lapicide, who was probably trained in one of the workshops active in Lower Brittany in the 16th century. The framing of the bas-relief, with its careful treatment of the borders and harmonious integration into the masonry of the gable, reveals a knowledge of Renaissance codes, perhaps filtered through local workshops rather than imported directly from Italy. The overall effect is to give the façade an iconographic dignity that is rare for a private residence, placing its patron among the notables who were keen to assert their culture as much as their piety.
Related Figures
Commanditaire anonyme du XVIe siècle — bourgeois ou notable hennebontais à l'origine de la constructionSculpteur anonyme du bas-relief — lapicide breton formé aux ateliers de la Renaissance bretonneInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (années 1930) — responsables du recensement et de la protection de l'édifice en 1934
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise located?
Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise is located in Hennebont, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise built?
Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise open to visitors?
Maison bordant la route 168, près de la place de l'Eglise is currently closed to visitors.