17th Century French Oak Entry Doors From a Hotel Particulier, Aix-En-Provence

Description

Hand-crafted in the late 1600s in France, this stunning pair of entry doors once graced a hotel particulier in Aix-en-Provence, … more Hand-crafted in the late 1600s in France, this stunning pair of entry doors once graced a hotel particulier in Aix-en-Provence, in the South of France. A hotel particulier is not a hotel in today’s sense of the word, but rather it is a large, private residence, typically with an interior courtyard. It is derived from the Old French word hostel and particulier, which means “private”. There are numerous examples in larger cities in France, such as Paris, Bordeaux, and Aix-en-Provence.

The doors were crafted out of local French oak wood. Both doors have been carved with the same details and adorned with two tiers of iron nailheads, one at the very top, and one along the top of the bottom panel. These iron nails secure the long horizontal iron hinge straps on the backs of the doors. The bottom portion of the doors consists of a large carved lozenge that consists of four smaller raised lozenges. The middle panel is comprised of a vertical rectangle with an arched top and thick layers of molding that form a fantastic architrave. A significantly thinner molding graces the uppermost panel, which also has been carved as a rectangle (horizontally orientated) with a sinuous bottom. Expertly restored for over 3 months by a talented French ebeniste, the doors combine French history with beautiful functionality (photos of pre-restoration available upon request). Large French entry doors of this size and style are increasingly rare on the market. The light beige color of the oak allows these doors to be used as entry doors for any style of house, but they could also be used as grand interior doors. less