"Maison Schott" Studio

The homeowner gave us a wonderful tour of the magnificent listed veranda, explaining its history and the features of its Art Nouveau stained glass. Thank you again for the warm welcome and for sharing your knowledge.

Nancy grew significantly in industry and commerce from the 1850s. The railway and the arrival of Alsatians and Lorrainers escaping German occupation between 1870 and 1918 helped create new neighborhoods. Quai Choiseul was built in 1863, and the house dates from around the same period. The Schott family later acquired it and expanded and renovated it. Its architecture, woodwork, and ironwork still show an older, traditional style. Inside, the murals take a very different direction: their innovative floral designs express the themes and motifs of the Nancy School. The stained glass was made by the glass artist Antoine Bertin and dates to 1900. Its double signature, "A. Bertin, stained-glass artist, Nancy, 1900," and monogram are unusual for residential stained glass. It combines clear and acid-etched glass set in lead, with nasturtiums, clematis, irises, poppies, orchids, and tulips in blue, yellow, and purple. It is considered a forerunner of Nancy School stained glass. The east and south facing sides, along with the different degrees of transparency, create a carefully considered relationship between the house and its surroundings. From the east, bright light comes in until midday and draws your eye to the garden, which feels like an extension of the home. On the south side, the view is screened, the light softened, and the heat reduced. The large openings also show that this extension was meant to be a real living space. In winter, it had underfloor heating vents, which have since been removed. Exterior double glazing was added in the 1980s without changing the historical structure. The style is debatable, but it provides essential protection and insulation. The building has been on the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments since 1994 and has been open to the public free of charge since 2002. Visits are offered year-round according to a schedule available at the Nancy Tourist Office. The property belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Ramelli. I’d also like to sincerely thank Mr. Ramelli for kindly giving me his time after my unexpected visit, which happened because of an error by the Tourist Office.

A good talk during the visit to the glasshouse at the historic monument Maison Schott.