Maison des Sirènes
Monument
Maison des Sirènes, 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
- 50.2906, 2.7734
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00107981
In the heart of Arras, the Maison des Sirènes boasts 17th-century Baroque facades adorned with mythological figures in bas-relief, a rare example of Flemish elegance in the city.
History
Nestling in the historic urban fabric of Arras, the Maison des Sirènes is one of those discreet jewels that the city of belfries and arcaded squares reserves for the attentive stroller. Built in the 17th century, at a time when the county of Artois was oscillating between Spanish, Flemish and French influences, its stonework encapsulates the decorative ambitions of a prosperous bourgeoisie keen to assert its status through architectural ornament. What makes this residence truly singular is the presence of sculpted mermaid figures on its façade - a rare iconographic motif in civil housing in the Artennes region, borrowed from the Mannerist and Flemish Baroque repertoire. These half-woman, half-fish creatures, associated since Antiquity with seduction and the mysteries of the waters, give the house an almost esoteric character that contrasts with the usual sobriety of the region's middle-class homes. They are also indicative of a cultured owner, probably linked to maritime trade or exchanges with the major cities of the former Spanish Netherlands. The visit focuses on the façade, a veritable sculptural manifesto in limestone from the Artesian quarry basin. The bas-reliefs reveal a complex iconographic narrative combining mythological registers and plant ornamentation. The house is part of the heritage trail of old Arras, ideally combined with a visit to the famous Grand-Place and Place des Héros squares and their arcaded galleries. The surrounding district retains an intertwined medieval and modern atmosphere, typical of a city that has managed to rebuild itself after the destruction of two world wars while preserving its civil gems. The Maison des Sirènes, listed as a Historic Monument since 1942, benefits from this protection, which guarantees that it will be maintained over the long term and carefully integrated into the urban landscape of Arras.
Architecture
The Maison des Sirènes is part of the Flemish-influenced Baroque style of civil architecture that dominated Northern France in the 17th century. Its façade, built of white limestone from the Arras region, features several levels punctuated by pilasters, moulded cornices and carefully framed windows, typical of private mansions and bourgeois houses of the period. The gable or scrolled gable, typical of the Flemish repertoire, probably tops the facade, giving it the vertical silhouette so recognisable in the landscape of the towns of the Plat Pays. The most remarkable feature is obviously the sculpted programme that adorns the façade, at the centre of which are the mermaids - hybrid figures with female bodies extended by fish or bird tails according to tradition - treated in low or high relief with a strong sense of movement and anatomical detail. These sculptures are accompanied by decorations of foliage, mascarons, plant garlands and perhaps armorial cartouches, forming a coherent decorative ensemble characteristic of late Mannerism, nourished by the influence of Flanders. The interior structure, typical of Artois bourgeois houses, is organised around a deep plan with a barrel-vaulted cellar (essential in the chalky subsoil of the Artois region), a ground floor used for commercial or entertainment purposes, and residential floors. Oak roof timbers and brick hoardings complete a construction that combines local economy of materials with the ambition of an ornamental façade.
Related Figures
Propriétaire fondateur (XVIIe siècle) — marchand artésien probablement lié aux réseaux commerciaux flamands, commanditaire du décor sculptéSculpteur anonyme de l'atelier arrageois — auteur présumé des sirènes, formé aux modèles ornementaux flamands de Cornelis FlorisInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1942) — responsables de l'inscription protectrice en pleine Seconde Guerre mondialeÉrudits de la Société d'Archéologie du Pas-de-Calais (XIXe siècle) — premiers à inventorier et documenter la maison dans les annales régionales
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison des Sirènes located?
Maison des Sirènes is located in Arras, Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Maison des Sirènes built?
Maison des Sirènes dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison des Sirènes open to visitors?
Maison des Sirènes is currently closed to visitors.