Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice, located in Josselin (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
- Josselin, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.9544, -2.5478
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091320
In the heart of Josselin, the Maison Morice features two storeys of carved timber-framed corbels, an exceptional example of 16th-century Breton civil architecture, and is listed as a Historic Monument.
History
Nestling in the medieval streets of Josselin, Maison Morice is one of the most beautiful half-timbered houses in inland Brittany. Its facade of successive corbels, with each storey slightly overhanging the previous one, creates an elegant and almost dramatic overhanging effect that characterises the rich trading houses of the 16th century. Far from being a mere relic, it embodies the prosperity of a town that, in the shadow of the famous Château des Rohan, developed flourishing crafts and trade during the Renaissance. What really sets the Maison Morice apart from its contemporaries is the rich ornamentation of its sculpted runners. These horizontal beams, which mark each level, are finely worked with plant motifs, fantastical figures and foliage typical of the Breton decorative repertoire of the Renaissance. The circular granite pillar that once supported the portico on the ground floor, crowned with a capital decorated with a heraldic crest, bears witness to the care taken to ensure both social representation and structural solidity. To walk past the Maison Morice is to enter into an intimate dialogue with the urban life of a Breton town at the time of the League and the Wars of Religion. The street in which it stands has preserved some of its old fabric, and the silhouette of the spire of the Collegiate Church of Saint-Nicolas can be seen in the distance, reinforcing the sense of preserved historical coherence. The residence can be visited from the outside, and the façade alone is well worth a visit for any lover of civil architecture. For photographers, in the morning or late afternoon, the low-angled light reveals the relief of the sculptures and the texture of the wood with the patina of centuries. The Maison Morice is an ideal addition to a full day's visit to Josselin, between the Château des Rohan and the Musée des Poupées, offering a striking portrait of a Breton town with an exceptionally long memory.
Architecture
Maison Morice belongs to the well-defined type of corbelled timber-framed urban house typical of 16th-century towns in Brittany and Normandy. Its street-facing facade has two storeys that gradually extend into the public space, with each storey forming a more pronounced corbel than the previous one. This technique, which makes it possible to increase living space without encroaching further on the floor area, was also a demonstration of carpentry skills and social wealth. The sculpted ornamentation is the most remarkable feature of the building. The runners - horizontal beams connecting the posts of the timber-framed structure - are carved throughout with low-relief motifs: foliage scrolls, human or animal figures, geometric interlacing, all of which bear witness to a decorative vocabulary at the crossroads of late Gothic and early Renaissance styles. The main beam that once crowned the portico on the ground floor displays a similar level of sculpture. The granite pillar that supported it, circular in cross-section and crowned with an armorial capital, is an exceptional feature in a building context dominated by wood. The timber-framed walls were originally plastered - a widespread practice in inland Brittany to protect the wood from damp - with painted or moulded imitation stone harps at the corners and around the openings. This use of stone against a rendering backdrop illustrates the desire of the bourgeoisie of the time to look good, as they sought to evoke the prestige of masonry town houses using a more economical material.
Related Figures
La famille Morice — négociants josselinois ayant probablement commandé ou occupé la demeure au XVIe siècleLes charpentiers-sculpteurs bretons anonymes du XVIe siècle, auteurs des sablières ornementéesLes architectes des Bâtiments de France ayant instruit les protections de 1933 et 1939Les seigneurs de Rohan — suzerains de Josselin dont l'influence économique rendit possible le développement de telles demeures bourgeoises
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice located?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice is located in Josselin, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice built?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice open to visitors?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite Maison Morice is currently closed to visitors.