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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The house at 4 Rue de la Curaterie in Nîmes is a 16th century monument, the most remarkable element of which is a sculpted bas-relief depicting Saint-Georges terrasing the dragon. This bas-relief, placed above the entrance door, may have served as a sign at a hostel hall dedicated to Saint George, although its exact origin remains unknown. It has two shields: one with French arms (fleurs de lys), the other with France and Brittany (hermine), suggesting a date between the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The scene shows a knight in armor piercing a dragon, while a person in prayer observes the scene from rocks.

The iconography of bas-relief evokes the legend of Saint-Georges, patron saint of knights and symbol of the struggle against evil. The combined ecus could indicate a link with the union of the Duchys of Brittany and the Kingdom of France, notably during the reign of Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII or Louis XII. Although a Saint George house was mentioned in the 16th century Nîmes archives, its location was never identified with certainty. This bas-relief, the only known vestige, was classified by order of 19 March 1964 for its artistic and historical value.

The location of the house, in the historic center of Nîmes, suggests integration into a medieval or reborn urban fabric. The street of the Curaterie, although not well documented, could have housed artisanal or commercial activities, typical of the central districts of the period. The bas-relief, by its theme and its quality of execution, reflects the influence of chivalrous narratives and wealthy sponsors, perhaps linked to the nobility or rising bourgeoisie of the Renaissance.

There is no information to identify the sponsor or artisan who made this bas-relief. Its state of conservation and its late protection (1964) underline the importance attached to the sculpted heritage of the modern period in Occitanie. Today, the house does not seem open to the public, and its interest lies mainly in this exterior decor, witness to art and beliefs of the sixteenth century.

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