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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Kerazan Manor House, located near Loctudy in Finistère, has its origins in the late 16th century, when the Kerflous family built a castle there. The latter then moved to the Drouallen, whose member participated in the capture of Rio de Janeiro under Duguay-Trouin. In the 18th century, the Counts of Rosmorduc, from the house Le Gentil, inherited the estate and transformed it deeply: adding one floor, expanding windows, repairing the roof and creating an English-speaking park. The mansion was seized in 1793 during the Revolution, and then sold after the condemnation of its owner, Count Louis de Rosmorduc, the caulian chief.

In the 19th century, the mansion changed hands several times, notably with Alour Arnoult, who renovated its interior decoration in 1847. His descendant, Georges Arnoult, Member of Parliament for Finistère, then passed on the property to the Astor family through the marriage of his daughter Noémie with Joseph Astor. The latter, Mayor of Quimper, is an exceptional collection of paintings and earthenware, enriched by his son, Joseph-Georges Astor. The latter, Senator Mayor of Quimper and founder of the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville, left in 1928 the mansion and its collections at the Institut de France, on condition that he created a foundation and a school of embroidery, active until 1966.

The mansion, classified as a historic monument in 2000 for its facades, roofs, five interior rooms and its 18th century hydraulic system park, is distinguished by its architecture combining a body of classical houses and an old wing. Its living rooms preserve 18th and 19th century walls, while its walls house major works, such as the frescoes of Théophile Deyrolles or the paintings of Maurice Denis. The park, inspired by English gardens, includes dry moat, a medieval vegetable garden and historic hydraulic elements. The estate is also known for having served as a decor for the 1993 Tipiak commercial.

The collection of the mansion is remarkable, with Breton paintings from the 16th to the 19th centuries, the faiences of Quimper (including a unique cello in faience of 1.20 m painted by Alfred Beau), and works by artists like Auguste Goy or Desiré Lucas. Joseph-Georges Astor, passionate about art despite a hearing impairment, completes this collection and embellishes the interior decor. Today, the Kerazan mansion, owned by the Institut de France, remains open to the public and bears witness to the artistic and social history of Brittany.

Proprietary families have marked local history: the Rosmorducs, engaged in the caulian wars, the Arnoults, involved in politics, and the Astors, patrons of the Breton arts and crafts. The embroidery school founded by Joseph-Georges Astor trained dozens of young girls, many of whom worked for Le Minor. The legacy at the Institut de France guarantees the preservation of this heritage, while perpetuating its cultural and educational role in Brittany.

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