Mikeinlagardette's photos with the keyword: architecture

Looking upwards to the top of Porte Saint Jean, from rue St Jacques. Much of the gatehouse we see today is from the 15thC, but the foundations date from the mid 13thC. The upper level was used as a prison in the middle ages. The buildings in rue Saint Jacques are much later - 18th/early 19th century, with Mansard roofs & stylish dormer windows. 1953 Agfa Ventura 66 Deluxe, f4.5/85mm Agfa Solinar, X2 yellow filter. Fomapan Ultra 200 @ 400 in Diafine, 4+4 mins@21C. Scanned @120dpi on Epson V500.

This superb art-deco monument is an appropriate celebration of one of the giants of French literature. The main structure, of polished red granite, is by Franz Jourdain, and the bust of Zola is by the sculptor Phillippe Solari. In fact, Émile's body was re-interred in the Panthéon in 1908! It's still the family vault though, and shares this cemetery with many other famous names from the world of arts - Degas, Alexander Dumas, Hector Berlioz, Offenbach, Stendahl, the dancer Nijinski, Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone - to mention just a few! A fascinating, if slightly macabre, diversion in Paris !! 1940's Voigtlander Bessa 66, f3.5/75mm Heliar, X2 yellow filter. Shanghai GP3 100 @200 in Diafine 3.5 + 3.5mins @ 21C Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500

Following on from the last pic, here's another church doorway from the 12C, this time in central France, and we can see that although it is more stylish than the one in Guiting Power, it has many similarities. Like St Michael's, the church was drastically altered, here in the 17thC, but again the doorway was incorporated in the later work. The decoration of the arch orders is very elaborate, and it's remarkable to think that it was done more than 800 years ago by men who probably lived in little more than mud and straw hovels! The style of decoration with the polylobal inner arch is quite common to this area, whereas the ball ornaments in the fourth order are more unusual. Taken with the Welmy Six a few years ago. 1952 Tasei Koki Welmy Six, f4.5/75mm Terionar lens, X2 yellow filter. Fomapan 100 in Caffenol C, 10 mins @21C. Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500

The old town has many interesting buildings, mostly built with an oak framework, infilled with brick or plaster covered wood laths, and it's nice to see them still in commercial use, centuries after they were first built. 1983 Nikon L35AF, f2.8/35mm Nikon lens, x2 yellow filter. Kodak TMY400 in PC-Glycol, 9 mins @21C. Scanned @2400dpi on Epson V500

Montluçon 03100 Fr. It's quite a stiff climb up to the château, but once arrived, there is a good view over the old town, and a chance to look at some historic roofing at close quarters. I guess most of these buildings were built at least three hundred years ago, if not more, so they have been well cared for, but because they are so close to each other, repair work on the roofs must represent a real challenge. Nonetheless, they all have fairly modern clay tiles which have replaced the original "bardeaux" - wooden tiles made from split chestnut or oak, and because the clay tiles are much heavier than the original, they have probably had the rafters and battens replaced also, so much respect for the roofers of Montluçon !! 1983 Nikon L35AF, f2.8/35mm Nikon lens, x2 yellow filter. Kodak TMY400 in PC-Glycol, 9 mins @21C. Scanned @2400dpi on Epson V500

This is the château in the previous photo, but seen from the "parade ground", and although not completely original, it is still an impressive secular building from 1370. The clock is a more recent addition, but it looks good on the tower. The building is now a museum and cultural centre. 1983 Nikon L35AF, f2.8/35mm Nikon lens, x2 yellow filter. Kodak TMY400 in PC-Glycol, 9 mins @21C. Scanned @2400dpi on Epson V500

It seems a long time ago that we had lunch in Montluçon on Janty's birthday in March, and I've only just developed the film! This is the frontal facade of the château, first built as a fortress in the 11thC. The present building mostly dates from 1370, but there are signs of much subsequent restoration. Although not a huge building, it sits on a promontory above the old town, and is it's most visible landmark. 1983 Nikon L35AF, f2.8/35mm Nikon lens, x2 yellow filter. Kodak TMax400 in PC-Glycol, 9 mins @21C. Scanned @2400dpi on Epson V500

Here is another of these elaborate dovecotes, this one in a nearby village . The house to which it belongs dates from the 18thC, so I imagine this is also of the same age. Quite why they were built in such an elaborate manner is a mystery, but they are very pretty, at least I think so! I tried developing this in Thornton's two bath without agitation, - just 30 seconds gentle inversions and then let stand for 6 1/2 minutes in bath A, drain and refill with B and stand for 5 minutes. The grain is smaller, but at the price of loss of edge definition, and the negs were a little over developed,so no real gain! Mamiya RB67 with 645 back, f4.5/65mm Sekor lens. Foma 100 in Thornton's 2 bath, 7+5mins @21C Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500

Another from the Tourist archives! Montluçon is considered to be "The Gateway to the Auvergne", although it is in the department of Allier - it is quite a classy place, so it is not a surprise to see high quality building here, but this is definitely in a league of it's own! I have no idea of the original purpose, - hotel, bank, insurance office, could be any of them, - nor when it was built, but what is certain is that it is one of the most accomplished examples of brickwork that I have seen! The diamond pattern is worked in a darker brick, and would be a challenge in a flat panel, but to have achieved this on the surface of a circular building, is indeed, a class act. Viewing the image at original size will show what I mean, and also demonstrate that the old Kodak is no slouch either! Taken with a 1948 Kodak Tourist 620, converted to 120 film. f4.5/105mm hard coated Kodak Anaston, X2 yellow filter, on Shanghai GP3 @200, developed in Thornton's Two Bath 5+5 mins @21C, and scanned @ 1200dpi on an Epson V500.

This former monastry building is well hidden, despite the fact that is quite close to the centre of the village. The Order of the Word Incarnate was founded by a priest who was born in Azerables, and the chapel was built in 1889, the work of a local architect, Léon Vallet. Following it's closure as a religious building in the 1960's, the main accomodation was turned into a retirement home, which has since moved to new premises, so these buildings were empty at the time this photo was taken, in 2011. 1948 Kodak Tourist 620, converted to 120, f4.5/105mm coated Anaston, X4 Orange filter. Rollei RPX 400 @ 1600, in Diafine 4 + 4 mins @ 21C. Scanned@1200dpi on Epson V500.

Most of the time we have to make a guess about the age of any particular building, based on personal knowledge, local history, materials & techniques, and so on, but here, thanks to the town's elders, we are certain. The house was the property of a jurisconsulte, - a lawer, called Joachim du Challard. He was born in La Souterraine - we are not told when, but we know that he died in 1562, and this fits in well with this style, from the early 16th century. The work is of high quality, carved in granite, and borrows heavily from church masonry in both technique & style, and M. Challard must have been a wealthy man to have commissioned such work for a secular building. The door is later, of course, but suits the building well, made from oak boards of random width, - the central slot was for a letter flap, although this is now unused, a separate letter box is now mandatory in France. 1948 Kodak Tourist 620, 6X9, converted to 120 film. f4.5/105mm Kodak Anaston lens, X2 yellow filter, Fomapan 400 @800 in Diafine 4+4 mins @21C Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500

Last of these "Old Guéret" pics with the Vollenda, this is the old market place, and gives some idea of the way many small towns in rural France look in the 21st century! A nice blend of tradition and modernism, I like the way the modern frontages of, say, Marrionaud or Le Balto, have been inserted into the much older buildings. Cars are an ever present feature of course, - although many small towns are now designating pedestrian only areas, it's hard to strike a balance between conservation and commercial need, especially when, as here, the shops are part of an historic area. 1935 Kodak Vollenda 620, f4.5/105mm Schneider Xenar lens, x2 yellow filter. Fomapan Ultra 400 in D76H 1+1, 13mins @21C. Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500

Another from the only Vollenda test roll. This stylish building looks to date from the mid 18thC, but could be later, but whenever it was built, it's got a lot of pzazz! Now a shop selling artists materials and prints, the first floor balcony and the classical proportions give it a very "renaissance" appearance. Although called Kodak, the Vollendas were based on cameras designed by Nagel-Werke, Stuttgart, before the company was bought by Eastman Kodak in 1932. Well designed and built, but they used the wretched 620 films, so unless you are prepared to re-roll 120 films, they are only shelf queens! This one was beyond realistic repair so it became a parts donor! 1935 Kodak Vollenda 620, f4.5/105mm Schneider Xenar lens, x2 yellow filter. Fomapan Ultra 400 in D76H 1+1, 13mins @21C. Scanned @1200dpi on Epson V500