Guided tour of the Maison des Avocats (former Chamber of Commerce) by History and Heritage of Saint-Étienne
Maison des Avocats. ex Chambre de Commerce de Saint-Étienne. The main room pays tribute to the city’s industrial activities. In addition to the ceiling painted by Albert Maignan, four tapestries represent the allegories of the coal, silk, iron and glass industries. The medallions that adorn the walls of this room were made by painters Émile Noirot and Charles Beauverie. At the foot of the staircase is a sculpted group (created by Jean Hugues in 1898) representing metallurgy, ribbon and armoury as well as a mine frame. The ceiling of the main hall painted by Albert Maignan: Albert Maignan was born in 1845 in Beaumont-sur-Sarthe. He originally intended for a legal career then his union with the daughter of the painter Charles Larivière led him to painting. He is particularly devoted to mythological, allegorical and dreamlike themes. In 1896, he executed the ceiling of the hall of honour of the Chamber of Commerce of Saint-Étienne. There are represented the four emblematic industries of the city: ribbon, metallurgy, coal and armory. It is the workers who are represented, in action and in a very realistic way in their work clothes, in the middle of their tools (anvil, hammer, pliers, warper, etc.), their production (ribbons, guns, swords) or their daily universe (mine shaft headframe). Parallel to this realistic representation persists an allegorical figuration referring to ancient mythology (a Renown mouths his trumpet).