Voici la traduction en anglais d'un article paru en français le 22 décembre 2008.
By visiting the streets of the 4th arrondissement, inside the buildings, we can find splendid entrances and inner courts. When I published this post in French last year, I was happy because the restoration of this location 24, rue Vieille-du-Temple had just been completed.
I found information about this place by reading a magazine Revue Paris Village N°19 (november/december 2006) where it is explained that the origins of this dwelling are almost forgotten. We just know that in 1792, its owner was an architect : Bénigne Joseph Varin who decided transformations that still exist today. The facade has a decoration "retour d'Egypte" (that's to say the epoch of Napoleon Bonaparte's reurn to France after his invasion of Egypt in 1798/1799). The transom [in French the "imposte", that's to say the frame above the door] is painted in blue. Two griffins (legendary creatures with the bodies of lions and the heads and wings of eagles) are sculpted. Back to back, their paws hold a shield. Between them, in the center, there is a little palmed column.
Inside, there's a "caisson" ceiling. It was in a disastrous situation but it has been wonderfully restored. It is sustained by two massive columns which are typical of the "Directoire" period (the last period of the French Revolution from 1795 to 1799). We can see this kind of columns at the "rue des colonnes" in the 2nd arrondissement not far from the "Bourse" (the former Stock Exchange).
Thank you to Evan who helps me to translate this post into English.
This post was first published in French on December 22nd, 2008.
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