Maison des Cariatides, 16th-century monument in Quimper, France.
The Maison des Cariatides is a three-storey half-timbered house at 4 rue du Guéodet, built in the second half of the 16th century. Its ground floor is framed by four stone pillars carved with high-relief medallion profiles of men and women in period dress, and the upper floors have exposed timber framing with Saint Andrew's crosses. The facade ends in a gable facing the street.
This residence was built during the Renaissance period and received official historical monument status in 1928. This designation helped protect its significant architectural features for future generations.
The four stone columns on the ground floor feature elaborate carved heads dressed in late 16th-century clothing. These decorations reflect the wealth and artistic tastes of the people who once lived there.
The ground floor is currently used for retail, while interior spaces remain private and closed to the public. The best view of the structure is from the street, where you can see the elaborate stone carvings in full detail.
The six high-relief medallions on the ground-floor pillars show men and women in late 16th-century dress: slashed doublets, puffed and slashed sleeves, pointed collars, plumed hats, a helmet with a neck guard and folded turbans. Their costume is what dates the house, and such medallion profiles, common among the Renaissance bourgeoisie, were already going out of fashion in the 17th century.
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