Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The house in Aigueperse, in Puy-de-Dôme, is a 15th century building whose exterior has undergone transformations that alter its historical character. Despite these changes, the interior retains remarkable elements, especially on the first floor, where a room houses a ceiling with beams decorated with painted wooden panels. These sets, dated the 15th century, represent fantastic animals and scenes accompanied by legends, offering a rare testimony of secular medieval art.

The same room also houses a stone fireplace and an opening with stone benches integrated into the embrasure, both contemporary of the paintings. These elements, classified as Historic Monument by decree of 17 May 1974, contrast with the gable façade of the building on courtyard, simply inscribed on the same date. The house, owned by the commune, illustrates the contrast between a transformed exterior and a preserved interior, reflecting the architectural and artistic practices of its time.

The location of the house, at 140 Grand'Rue in Aigueperse, is documented in the Mérimée base, although geographical accuracy is considered poor (note of 5/10). This monument offers an overview of the bourgeois or urban dwellings of the late Middle Ages in Auvergne, where painted interior decorations served both ornament and narrative support, often linked to moral or symbolic narratives. However, the lack of mention of a specific sponsor or historical owner limits the understanding of its original social context.

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