Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house located at 22 rue du Consulate in Limoges is a 16th century building, built under the influence of the Maleden family, the dominant social figure of the time. This private hotel reflects the austere customs of the local bourgeoisie, while integrating elements inspired by the First Renaissance, such as an open balcony staircase and a low gallery decorated with arches in basket cove. The original layout included a large entrance to Rue du Temple (now disappeared), an inner courtyard and a large garden, as evidenced by the plan of the Treasurers of France around 1775.

In 1807, the building was divided into two parts during a sale, resulting in the construction of a wall separating the courtyard. The facade on the courtyard, as well as the main staircase and a spiral staircase serving the third floor, were protected by an inscription to the Historical Monuments in 1946. The sober architecture of the building is explained by the austerity of the bourgeois limougeauds, although the latter, through their consular functions, were aware of the Italian artistic innovations disseminated by the castles of the Loire.

The historical plan of 1775 reveals a complex spatial organization: an exit to the Consulate Street, northern arcades closed by housing, and composite capitals supporting the gallery columns. The staircase of the First Renaissance, located at the southwest corner, illustrates the measured adoption of new forms by the local elite. The simplicity of the place contrasts with the social prestige of its occupants, stressing their attachment to a modest appearance despite their economic and political influence.

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