Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The house at 8 rue d'Anjou in La Guerche-de-Bretagne is a composite building dating mainly from the 16th century, although later changes changed its appearance. It is distinguished by a three-span porch, one of which is wider, decorated with poles decorated with triglyphals imitating an ancient architectural style and smooth foams. The central poles, decorated on their four sides, recall the motifs of nearby houses (n°10 and 12 of the same street). Originally, the porch extended to n°10, but a piece of wood has now disappeared. The current facade, covered with a cement coating imitating half-timbers, partially masks the original structure.

The construction combines two separate houses, combined by a modification of the roof. The first, with a span, has a floor in wooden panels pierced by a window, while the second, with two spans, has the same characteristics. The posterior walls are made of quartz microdiorite bellow, contrasting with the anterior wooden panel facade. An ancient postcard reveals sculpted Piedasters on the floor, now missing. Although redesigned, the house is contemporary to its neighbours, suggesting a construction between the 16th and 17th centuries. Its facades, roofs and chimney stumps have been protected since 1948.

The building illustrates the Breton civil architecture of the Renaissance, marked by the use of woodpan and decorations inspired by antiquity. The triglyphs and shields, a recurring element in the rue d'Anjou, bear witness to a careful ornamentation, perhaps linked to the social status of the owners. Subsequent transformations, such as the inversion of the girdle or the addition of a modern coating, reflect the adaptations of the frame to changing needs. Despite these modifications, the house retains traces of its original organization, with cornel posts decorated on only three sides, technical detail revealing constructive practices of the time.

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