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Origin and history

The Moorish villa of Levallois-Perret, located at 11-13 bis of Villa Chaptal, is an emblematic building built at the hinge of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its neo-Mauresque style is distinguished by domes, adorned stairwells, and asymmetric terraces. Some elements of its interior decoration would come from the Spanish pavilion of the Universal Exhibition of 1889 in Paris, testifying to an architectural eclecticism marked by oriental influences in vogue at that time.

Originally, the villa was built for the painter Alfred Frédéric Alexandre Mittenhoff, who sold it to the tenor Pierre Gaillard in 1892. Between 1892 and 1893, the building underwent major changes: the elevation of one floor, the addition of an external staircase on the façade, and interior arrangements inspired by Islamic art (overpassed walls, awnings, mucharabiehs). These changes reflect the enthusiasm of the era for exotic styles, while integrating modern techniques.

The villa has been listed as a Historic Monument since 5 July 1993 for its facades, roofs, and interior decorations (vestibulum, living room, dining room). Since 1935, it has been part of the National Old Age Insurance Fund, which has allowed it to be preserved despite the urban changes in Levallois-Perret. Its architecture contrasts with the rest of the neighborhood, dominated by Art Nouveau or industrial buildings, such as those designed by architect Edmond Lamoureux, mayor of the city in the early 20th century.

The historical context of Levallois-Perret at that time was marked by rapid industrialization and architectural diversification. The city, then expanding, attracts artists, industrialists (like Armand de Gramont, founder of the OPL in 1919) and public figures. The Moorish villa embodies this period of mixing of styles, between orientalist heritage and technical modernity, while remaining a rare testimony of the influence of Universal Exhibitions on the local heritage.

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