Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The house "Vannes and his wife" is a wood-paned building of the 15th and 16th centuries, located at 3 rue du Bienheureux Pierre-René Rogue, in the intra-muros of Vannes. Its most remarkable element is a polychrome stone sign integrated with the north facade: two granite carved busts, representing a couple with expressive faces. These statues, a few dozen centimetres high, probably date back to the 16th century. Their now amputated hands suggest that they once held an object. The facade and roof, characteristic of Breton medieval architecture, were inscribed in the Historic Monuments in 1929.

The exact origin of this sign remains mysterious, although its nickname is attested from the beginning of the 19th century. Several hypotheses exist: it could have served as a commercial sign (perhaps for a cabaret), or be linked to the Château-Gaillard located opposite, or even to a local family named Vennes. In 2010, a piece of the man's head was detached, requiring restoration by the Bâtiments de France. The house itself, with its moulure wood section and its 16th century fireplace, once belonged to Gilles de Bretagne, then to merchants such as Julienne Ehanno and Jean Queneau in the 17th century.

This sculpture is part of a regional tradition: the Morbihan has other similar carved couples, such as "Landevant and his wife" or "Questembert and his wife". These works, often associated with medieval houses, may reflect local business practices or symbols. The house of Vannes, with its well, courtyard and traces of alterations (scenes of the seventeenth century, elevation), illustrates the architectural and social evolution of the city between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Ancient photographs reveal that it once housed two shops on the ground floor, separated by separate windows.

External links