Destruction of cultural heritage in 19th-century France : old stones versus modern identities

Destruction of Cultural Heritage in 19th Century France charts the destruction of earlier architecture as towns pull down their walls, build modern houses, welcome railways and, except for a few scholars, forget about the past. Heritage was largely scorned, and identity found in modernity, not in the past. Contents 5 Preface 9 Map of France 13 Introduction: Heritage and Identityin 19th Century France 15 The Changing Face of 19th-century France 15 Heritage, Identity, Memory 24 Creating and Destroying Heritage 29 Etymology 33 Heritage, Identity, Patrimony 33 Antiquarian, Archaeology/Archaeologist 36 Chapter 1 The Early Architecture of France 43 Spolia and the Persistence of Re-use 43 Reuse and the Tower of Hanoi 47 Prehistoric Antiquities 48 Roman Sites in France 52 Rome in Imperial Decline 54 Theatres and Amphitheatres 57 Baths and Aqueducts 59 Villas, Mosaics and Sculpture 61 Marble Veneer 67 Cemeteries 67 After Antiquity 69 Merovingian Antiquities 71 Later Religious Architecture 73 Civic Architecture: Châteaux 82 Conclusion: Preventable Destruction 83 Chapter 2 The Defence of France 90 The Enceintes of Late Antiquity 90 Old Fortifications Cannot Satisfy New Requirements 92 New Requirements: Barracks 95 Le génie de la destruction: The French Military and the Defence of France 97 Servitude et grandeur militaires – and boulevards 105 The Génie in North Africa 107 Conclusion: the Fate of Town Walls and Monuments 109 Chapter 3 Technology and Change: Improved Communications 115 Railways 116 Map-making Military and Civil 122 The Carte de France 123 Roads, Canals and Bridges 127 Photography 130 Tourism 131 Conclusion 132 Chapter 4 Vandalism, Ignorance, Scholarship, Museums 135 Heritage and Destruction 135 Vandalism 136 Preservation, Conservation, Restoration: The Dilemma 137 Destruction, Resurrection and Vandalism 142 Ignorance: Workmen, Administrators, Proprietors 147 Administration and Destruction 148 The Persistence of Vandalism 152 Money, Speculators, Scholars 155 Conclusion 158 Chapter 5 The Organisation of Scholarship and Museums 162 Archaeology and Archaeologists 162 Education 165 Restoration Alternatives 167 Initiatives on the Ground: The Gard 168 Museums and International Prestige 169 Museums in Provincial France 172 Façadism Nourishes Museums 179 Cataloguing the Past: Censuses of Antiquities 181 The Commission des Monuments Historiques (CMH) and its Origins 184 Census Problems 186 Cataloguing Dilemmas 189 Different Owners, Different Problems 191 Laws for Monument Protection 193 Conclusion 195 Chapter 6 Modernity and its Architectural Consequences 199 Modernity 200 Communications and Industry 204 Modernisation and Destruction 205 Promenades 207 Alignment and the Picturesque: The New and the Old (or, Périsse l’art plutôt que la ligne droite) 208 Dismantling Enceintes to Achieve Modernity 211 The Declassification Movement 213 Bordeaux and Paris: Leaders of the Pack 216 Bordeaux 216 Paris 222 Conclusion 226 Chapter 7 The Île de France and Champagne 231 Beauvais 232 Évreux 233 Reims 235 Laon 236 Sens 237 Soissons 239 Conclusion 242 Chapter 8 Normandy, the North, Burgundy and Points East 245 Normandy and the Loire 245 Rouen 245 Le Mans 249 Jublains 249 Tours 249 Angers 250 Blois 251 The North 251 Amiens 251 Arlon 252 The East 253 Langres (Haute-Marne) 253 Nancy 256 Metz 256 Burgundy (plus Points East and the Upper Rhône Valley) 257 Autun 258 Beaune 260 Dijon (Côte-d’Or) 260 Lyon 262 Valence 265 Vienne (Isère) 266 Conclusion 268 Chapter 9 Centre and West 273 Bourges 273 Auxerre 274 Orléans 275 Limoges 276 Clermont-Ferrand 276 Périgueux 277 Poitiers 280 Saintes 283 Toulouse 287 Conclusion 289 Chapter 10 Centuries of Destruction: Narbonne and Nîmes 292 Narbonne 292 Introduction 292 Narbonne from Roman Times to Mediaeval Walls 294 Dilapidated Mediaeval Walls 298 The Capitol 301 The Palace 303 The François Ier enceinte 305 Availability of Antiquities 307 From Open-Air Museum to Notre-Dame de la Mourgier 310 Conclusion 314 Ensérune 315 Nîmes 316 Nîmes in Earlier Centuries 316 The Amphitheatre 319 The Maison Carrée 321 The Town Walls 323 The Discovery and Display of Antiquities 325 Conclusion 327 Chapter 11 Provence and the South: Monumental Losses 332 Arles 332 Introduction 332 Town Walls 337 Amphitheatre and Theatre 339 Cemeteries and Roads 341 Other Ancient Monuments 344 Civic Pride and the Monuments 346 The Downside of Civic Pride 347 Aix-en-Provence 349 Avignon 350 Dax 352 St-Lizier 354 Béziers 355 Perpignan 355 Fréjus – Cannes – Antibes – Villefranche 356 Orange 359 Vaison-la-Romaine 360 Conclusion 362 Conclusion: Heritage? What Heritage? The Transformation of Townscape and Landscape 367 Appendix 371 Bibliography: Sources 389 Bibliography: Modern Scholars 411 Index 432 Illustrations 443 "Destruction of Cultural Heritage in 19th Century France examines the fate of the building stock and prominent ruins of France (especially Roman survivals) in the 19th century, supported by contemporary documentation and archives, largely provided through the publications of scholarly societies. The book describes the enormous extent of the destruction of monuments, providing an antidote to the triumphalism and concomitant amnesia which in modern scholarship routinely present the 19th century as one of concern for the past. It charts the modernising impulse over several centuries, detailing the archaeological discoveries made (and usually destroyed) as walls were pulled down and town interiors re-planned, plus the brutal impact on landscape and antiquities as railways were laid out. Heritage was largely scorned, and identity found in modernity, not the past"--Provided by publisher.