Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The parish church Saint-Barthélemy, located in Launaguet in Haute-Garonne, is a 19th-century religious building. It is distinguished by an interior decoration entirely made by Gaston Virebent (1837-1925), a renowned engraver and ceramist. The latter was the son of Auguste Virebent (1792-1857), a Toulouse architect and decorator, founder in 1830 of a terracotta and ceramic factory on the estate of Miremont in Launaguet. This local artisanal production marked the church's visual identity, incorporating ceramic elements typical of the region.

The church was classified as Historic Monument by decree of 16 September 2016, thus protecting the entire building, as delimited on the plan annexed to the decree (cadastre AR 124). The location of the building at 84 Chemin des Combes is documented in the Merimée base, although geographical accuracy is considered poor (note of 5/10). Owned by the municipality of Launaguet, the church embodies both an architectural heritage and an artisanal heritage linked to the Virebent dynasty.

The Miremont factory, founded by Auguste Virebent, played a key role in the development of decorative arts in Occitanie in the 19th century. Its installation in Launaguet, near Toulouse, allowed local production of terracotta and ceramics, influencing the regional aesthetics. Gaston Virebent, decorating the church of Saint Barthélemy, has perpetuated this family tradition, thus linking the industrial and religious history of the territory.

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