Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Charles Renauld Bank is an iconic Art Nouveau building built between 1908 and 1910 in the heart of Nancy, at the corner of Chanzy and Saint John streets. He was commissioned by the banker Charles Renauld, brother-in-law of Antonin Daum, and replaced the former premises of Rue Saint-Dizier. This project is part of Nancy's economic dynamism at the beginning of the 20th century, marked by the influence of the École de Nancy, a regional artistic movement.

Architects Émile André and Paul Charbonnier designed the building, while Louis Majorelle created the ironworks and furniture, and Jacques Grüber created the glass windows (now disappeared). The structure combines reinforced concrete (Hennebique system) and metal frame, illustrating the technical innovations of the period. The building, transformed into a BNP Paribas agency in 1985, has maintained protected interior elements since 1994, and its facades have been classified since 1996.

The interior, organized around a central hall, includes an honor staircase, wooden countertops, and a gallery on the first floor decorated with stained glass windows. Although the Grüber window and the porch gate have disappeared, Majorelle's ironworks remain, attesting to the artisanal know-how of the Nemence. A post-1912 extension incorporates a nearby house, in the same style, strengthening the architectural harmony of the whole.

This monument reflects the alliance between finance and art in Nancy, a city in full industrial and cultural growth. Its ranking among historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its role in local economic history. Today, it remains a symbol of the golden age of Art Nouveau in Lorraine.

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