Wednesday 14 December 2016

Architectural Details of Preuilly I



These photos showing 17th century architectural detail are of Preuilly's 'second chateau'. La Rallière was built by Samuel Gaudon (hence the SG monogram in the cornice). It is to my mind a much grander building that Preuilly's chateau proper, but strictly speaking it is a hôtel particulier (grand town house). 


Gaudon was born in Preuilly, Protestant, and made a fortune market gardening on the outskirts of Paris*. The building was never finished and today is a privately owned holiday rental. Compromised during the Fronde, a period of political unrest, Gaudon was imprisoned in the Bastille in 1649 and building work came to an abrupt halt.


*I can't remember where I got the information about Gaudon being a market gardener. CHM has pointed out to me that the real money came from the fact that he was one of Louis IV's tax farmers.

5 comments:

chm said...

I wonder what could be the meaning of the other monogram RLVD or any combination thereof. His wife's initials? Or his mistress'? Or both?

chm said...

I just checked La Rallière on Google and I do agree with you it is much grander than the Château du Lion because it is authentic, whereas the other chateau, if I understand correctly, was a ruin renovated, or I should say reconstructed and improved, in the notoriously bad taste of most reconstructions in the 19th century, with too many unnecessary details and out of style fioritures.

Susan said...

I assume it is VDLR which would stand for Vicomte de la Rallière. You are quite right about Chateau de Lion and why I prefer La Rallière.

About Paris said...

Great article.
I helped retile much of the ground floor here assisting the Frenchman who was given the job but underestimated the extent of the work! I remember we had a barbeque in the fireplace of the grand salon.
Loved the internal staircase.

Susan said...

I've heard the staircase is impressive, but I've never managed to get inside the place.

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