Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Ezemar House is a property located in the town of Esseintes, Gironde, New Aquitaine. Built in the 18th century, it was enlarged in the early 19th century by the addition of a circular tower on the garden side, around 1805 or 1806. This tower houses a panoramic wallpaper entitled The ruins of Rome or Maritime Landscape Directory, attributed to the Dufour manufacture. Composed of 24 stars divided into four panels, this exceptional decoration contributed to the inscription of the tower as historical monuments by order of 5 July 2005.

Located in the south-east of the village of Esseintes, 400 metres from the centre, the house is located at the place called Métairie de l ́Église, on the edge of the communal road La Coin du Pin. Today it belongs to a descendant of Gabriel Ézemar (1750–1807), a figure associated with his history. The tower, with its decor of wallpapers, constitutes the only protected element of the estate, identified under the cadastral reference B 214.

The wallpaper, considered a rare testimony of decorative art of the early nineteenth century, illustrates the influence of ancient landscapes and picturesque travels in the bourgeois interiors of the era. The Dufour factory, active in Paris, was known for its production of panoramic wallpapers, exported throughout Europe. The inclusion of the tower in the national heritage underscores its artistic and historical value, while preserving a remarkable example of this know-how.

External links