An exceptional oriental decor nestled in a residence in Neuchâtel. A Moorish salon was built in the years 1881-1882 at Faubourg de l’Hôpital 29. This decorative ensemble has recently regained all its splendor following restoration work to which the State of Neuchâtel contributed 23,269 francs.
This orientalist-style living room was created for Henri Robert-Tissot, one of the owners at the time of the Fontainemelon blanks factory. It is made up of elements of various influences, explains Claire Piguet, historian at the Built and Intangible Heritage Office of the State of Neuchâtel.
“There are examples which are taken from Kufic writing such as the date or the inscription which is on one of the friezes, we have earthenware tiles which are of Turkish inspiration, from the Ottoman period, but it there are others which are of Hispano-Moorish inspiration […] ».
Claire Piguet and her colleague Anne-Laure Juillerat had to carry out a real investigation to try to find out more about the origin of this place. The first striking element is the date which appears in the decoration, 1298-1299. “In fact, it is a date written in Kufic character, therefore in an ancient Arabic script” which is equivalent in our calendar to 1881-1882, explains Claire Piguet.
If the motifs of this decor are borrowed from the Orient, the materials used, varied and described as high quality, come from the region. Claire Piguet evokes catelles of Parisian origin, Hauterive stone and oak wood in particular. »
-According to the historian, we do not know of a trip around the Mediterranean or to the Orient on the part of the Robert-Tissot couple, but Henri Robert-Tissot was very aware of the latest trends and some of their acquaintances probably had arrangements of this nature. kind. On the other hand, this room is one of the few to have been preserved, with the minaret of Serrières and that housed in Oberhofen Castle, on the shores of Lake Thun. It is therefore an exceptional setting on a Swiss scale, according to the State of Neuchâtel.
A freshly restored living room
To preserve and restore it, the owner of the place created an association with the aim of raising funds. She also requested that the place be placed under protection in the Canton. The work made it possible to strengthen the waterproofing of the dome and revive the colors of the decorations, which were carefully cleaned, in particular with the help of students from the Berne University of Conservation and Restoration. “We were able to clean everything and find all the details,” explains the owner of the place, Sylvaine Dinarica.
The Neuchâtel public has the opportunity to discover this Moorish salon, because it can be rented for weddings, parties or concerts, for example. The owner also carries out visits on request. /sbm
