Maison du 18e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du 18e siècle, located in Quintin (Département 22), 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
- Quintin, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4047, -2.9100
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089560
In the heart of Quintin, this elegant 18th-century residence boasts a symmetrical façade crowned by a triangular pediment dating from 1759, a discreet masterpiece of classical Breton architecture.
History
In the cobbled streets of Quintin, a small town full of character in the Côtes-d'Armor region, stands a middle-class residence that soberly and elegantly embodies the taste of 18th-century Brittany. Listed as a historic monument since 1951, it bears witness to the prosperity of the town after it became a duchy in 1691, at a time when Quintin's fine cloth trade spread far beyond the provincial borders. What makes this house truly unique is the compositional rigour of its façade: a slightly recessed forebuilding marks the axis of symmetry of the whole, giving the building a measured presence that is neither ostentatious nor modest. The carriage entrance, topped by a neatly arranged window, is topped by a triangular pediment pierced by an oculus - a stone eye dated 1759 that seems to have been watching passers-by for two and a half centuries. The experience of visiting the building is first and foremost an encounter with the everyday life of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie in the Brittany of the Enlightenment. The façade, which can be read at a glance, gradually reveals its subtleties: the slight relief of the front, the play of the oculus in the tympanum, the balance of the openings. It fits naturally into the architectural fabric of Quintin, an open-air museum town where the 16th and 17th centuries rub shoulders with the refinements of the following century. As you stroll through the town, this residence takes on its full meaning when set against the neighbouring arcaded houses and private mansions. It illustrates the stylistic transition that took place in Brittany between late Baroque and Louisquinzian Classicism, in a region that always knew how to adapt Parisian fashions to its own architectural temperament. An intimate and precious milestone in the urban history of Quintin.
Architecture
The facade of this residence is an accomplished example of 18th-century Breton provincial classicism. Its composition is based on a principle of strict symmetry, enlivened by a slightly off-set forebuilding that marks the central axis of the elevation - a discreet but effective device for giving the whole a visual hierarchy without resorting to emphasis. The carefully ordered openings bear witness to the care taken with proportions, characteristic of Breton master masons who assimilated classical precepts while adapting them to local resources. The most remarkable feature is the crown of the central bay: a door surmounted by a window and topped by a triangular pediment, typical of the classical repertoire. This pediment, dated 1759, is enlivened by an oculus - a circular bull's eye pierced through the tympanum - which adds light and airiness to the composition while evoking the Palladian influences that spread throughout Western Europe during the century. The eye motif is the building's most distinctive stylistic signature. The materials used were probably those naturally available in the region: bluish granite from Côtes-d'Armor, a dense, resistant stone that gives Breton architecture its austere, enduring character, perhaps combined with partial rendering on the less noble parts. The roof, with its steep slope as is customary in Brittany, would have been covered in natural slate. The overall effect is a façade of elegant sobriety, where every detail is carefully considered, reflecting the high quality of local craftsmanship used to create architecture that is built to last.
Related Figures
Louis XIV — roi de France qui érigea Quintin en duché en 1691, impulsant le renouveau architectural de la villeLes ducs de Quintin — famille aristocratique dont le prestige attira une bourgeoisie désireuse de construire de belles demeuresMaîtres maçons bretons du XVIIIe siècle — artisans anonymes qui transposèrent le langage classique français en architecture locale de graniteNégociants en toile de Quintin — marchands enrichis par le commerce textile dont les commanditaires de telles demeures étaient probablement issusInspecteurs des Monuments historiques (1951) — agents de l'État qui reconnurent la valeur patrimoniale de l'édifice et assurèrent sa protection
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du 18e siècle located?
Maison du 18e siècle is located in Quintin, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison du 18e siècle built?
Maison du 18e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison du 18e siècle open to visitors?
Maison du 18e siècle is currently closed to visitors.
