The exhibition “The Dauvergne, industry in the fields”, presented at the Musée de la Chemiserie in Argenton-sur-Creuse, is one of five planned for 2024-2025 in the department, on the occasion of the bicentenary of the birth of Alfred Dauvergne, an Indian architect trained at the Beaux-Arts in Paris, who worked with his two sons, Henry and Louis, in almost all of this territory. In addition to the completion of the Saint-Sauveur church, the restoration of the Saint-Étienne and Saint-Benoît chapels, Argenton welcomed around twenty of their creations.
“This family left an immense architectural heritage to the Indrians”
The three men worked on private and public projects: schools, town halls, factories, houses… In all, 1,300 Indrian buildings bear their signature. Olivier Prisset, doctor in contemporary history, author of the thesis Alfred, Henri and Louis Dauvergne, 1824-1937: Expansion and success of an architectural firmis the curator of the exhibition. Having learned of the existence, in the Departmental Archives, of an immense collection of archives from the Dauvergne cabinet, he then embarked on the exploration of these 80 linear meters of archives. His thesis and the exhibition are the result. Thanks to him, we know that, in France in 1850, the Dauvergne firm had two architects, six workstations and represented 15,000 plans produced and thirty projects per year. Enough to make our current architects dream! The agency’s strength: mass production based on standard plans. “ This family left an immense architectural heritage to the Indrians » explained the historian. The low rate of loss of their constructions confirms their quality.
A testimony to the industrial development of Indre in the 19the century
« The real architect at 19e century is rural. There was one architect per department », specifies Olivier Prisset, for whom the work of the Dauvergne must be placed in its context. Such is the strength of this exhibition which reveals the economic upheavals of Berry society at the time of the industrial revolution, at the intersection of local initiatives and national dynamics. The exhibition visible at the Musée de la Chemiserie deals in particular with industrial and commercial architecture, at a time of intense economic development, accelerated by the appearance of the railway in the department. The success of the Dauvergne is therefore inseparable from the evolution of the territory: “ When Indre became a department, the Dauvergne made it possible to equip it », summarizes the researcher. For the latter, the challenge of the exhibition is to “ give Indians a chance to see the richness of this heritage ».
“The Dauvergne, industry in the fields”, until December 22, at the Musée de la Chemiserie
Sunday October 20, at 2:30 p.m.: “Dauvergne in Argenton”: guided tour of the town by Olivier Prisset. Free. Saturday November 23, at 3 p.m.: “The Dauvergne and the universal exhibitions”, conference by Olivier Prisset. Price: €3. Free for AMICL members. Sunday 1is December, at 3 p.m.: guided tour of the exhibition by Olivier Prisset. Reservations required. Shirtmaking Museum. Such. 02.54.24.34.69. [email protected]. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
