Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The building located at 17 rue Fabricy in Lille was built between the 4th quarter of the 19th century and the 1st quarter of the 20th century by Louis Coilliot, ceramist and heir to paternal activity. The latter, who became an orphan, took over his father's business, Jean-Baptiste Coilliot, who was initially installed in No. 12, and then expanded his possessions by acquiring the neighbouring plots (n°14 et al.). From 1895 he built a housing complex including his personal home, a sales store and storage space for his productions and those he marketed. The facade, of classic style, hides richly decorated interiors, including a large living room decorated with a ceramic fireplace of Longwy inspired by neo-Renaissance style.

The building is distinguished by its ceramic interior decorations, typical of local handicrafts. The ground floor houses two vestibules leading to stairs serving floors and buildings at the back of the courtyard. The large living room, a master piece, presents a neo-Renaissance fireplace with motifs borrowed from the 16th century Ligerian chimneys, including the salamander of François I. The walls are covered with ceramic tiles representing muskets and allegories of the seasons. The interior circulations are also decorated with polychrome tiles, reflecting the know-how of Louis Coilliot, both master and ceramist.

Ranked Historic Monument by order of 13 May 2009, the building protects its facades, roofs, as well as the interior decorations of the ground floor, first and second floors. These elements bear witness to Lille's industrial and artistic boom at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, where commercial and craft activities blended into ambitious architectural ensembles. The official address lists the numbers 13, 15 and 17 of Fabricy Street, highlighting the scope of Louis Coilliot's initial project.

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