Maison de Simon Poisson
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison de Simon Poisson, located in Angers (Maine-et-Loire), 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
- Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.4749, -0.5616
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00108918
Joyau Renaissance du vieux Angers, la maison de Simon Poisson déploie ses élégantes fenêtres à meneaux et ses ornements sculptés en tuffeau blanc, témoignage rare de l'architecture bourgeoise ligérienne du XVIe siècle.
History
Nestling in the historic heart of Angers, Simon Poisson's house is one of the best-preserved examples of a Renaissance bourgeois residence in Anjou. Built in the 16th century in the blonde tufa so characteristic of Loire buildings, it embodies the prosperity of a merchant and professional class who, in the shadow of the great noble residences, shaped the urban identity of the capital of Anjou. What sets Simon Poisson's house apart from the ordinary buildings of its time is the finesse of its architectural treatment: ornate pilasters, sculpted pediments, mullioned windows and crossettes that combine with the Italianate canons in vogue in the Loire Valley at the time. At a time when local craftsmen were fascinated by the châteaux of the Loire Valley, these influences found their way into the stonework of middle-class homes, giving each façade a character that was both sophisticated and intimate. The experience of a visit invites you to slow your pace and observe the details that time has left untouched: the modelling on the window frames, the low-relief sculptures and the meticulous work on the dormer windows. The golden patina of the tuffeau, a noble material extracted from the quarries of the Loire Valley, bathes the façade in a particular light depending on the time of day, making this building an exceptional photographic subject. Set in the medieval and Renaissance urban fabric of Angers, close to Saint-Maurice Cathedral and the Château des Ducs, the building can be appreciated as part of a tour of the old town. It has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1963, in recognition of its exceptional heritage value and to ensure that it is passed on to future generations.
Architecture
Simon Poisson's house is representative of Anjou's Renaissance civil architecture, built in tuffeau, a soft, luminous limestone quarried from the cliffs and quarries of the Loire Valley. Light to work with, it allows for highly precise ornamentation and gives the façades the creamy-golden hue characteristic of 16th-century Loire buildings. The main facade features a meticulous composition typical of the bourgeoisie of the period: mullioned windows and transoms divided into transoms, moulded frames embellished with crossettes, and dormers with ornate pediments that enliven the roof. The pilasters and bas-relief decorations bear witness to the assimilation of the Italianate architectural vocabulary then being disseminated from the royal building sites in the Loire Valley. The overall composition is vertically balanced, typical of the house of an urban nobleman seeking to reconcile functionality and social representation. The interior layout is typical of 16th-century bourgeois homes, with the main body of the dwelling built over a vaulted cellar, with a great hall and reception rooms on the lower levels and flats on the upper floors. The sculpted details of the building, including the lintels, foliage capitals and braces over some of the windows, reveal the care taken by those who commissioned each element of the construction, making this building a living document of the art of building in Anjou in the century of François I.
Related Figures
Simon Poisson — bourgeois angevin du XVIe siècle, probable commanditaire de la demeureLes maîtres maçons et tailleurs de pierre angevins du XVIe siècle, artisans de la Renaissance ligérienneLes ducs d'Anjou — dont le mécénat et le rayonnement façonnèrent le goût architectural de la villeRené d'Anjou (le Bon Roi René) — figure tutélaire de l'Anjou, dont l'héritage culturel imprégna la bourgeoisie locale
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison de Simon Poisson located?
Maison de Simon Poisson is located in Angers, Maine-et-Loire department, Pays de la Loire region, France.
When was Maison de Simon Poisson built?
Maison de Simon Poisson dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison de Simon Poisson open to visitors?
Maison de Simon Poisson is currently closed to visitors.
