Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The sign "Au Planteur" is a panel made of painted ceramic tiles, installed in 1890 on the facade of a former Parisian shop located at 10-12 rue des Petits-Carreaux. It depicts a stereotypical colonial scene: a slave black man, dressed in striped panties and trimmed with necklaces, serves a drink to a white planter sitting in colonial clothing. Details such as bracelets, the slave's submissive posture and the dominant attitude of the planter highlight a racist and colonialist aesthetic, typical of the representations of the time. The sign, signed by artist Crommer, is surmounted by the name "Au planteur" and a mention "No branch".

The store, founded in 1845 by Charles Prévost and Frères, was a grocery store specializing in exotic products (coffee, tea, chocolate). The current sign, installed in 1890, is the only visible vestige of this activity after the closure of trade in the early 1980s. Ranked a historic monument in 1984 for its heritage interest, it also became a controversial symbol: in 2020, it was vandalized with black paint. His iconography was documented in 2019 in the exhibition The statues also die, highlighting the colonial traces still present in the Paris public space.

Architecturally, the front is integrated into a 19th century building with neo-classical woodwork. The ceramic central panel contrasts with the rest of the facade, now occupied by shops unrelated to the history of the place (cosmetic shop, photo studio in 2019). The protection of 1984 concerns only this sign, while the rest of the front was altered by subsequent modifications. The debate about his presence reflects the memory tensions related to the French colonial legacy.

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