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  1. Musée du compagnonnage
  2. The guilds
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The hand

  • Of men and crafts
  • Vocational improvement
  • The masterpiece
Our collections
  • Wood
  • Stone
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  • The tools
See also...
  • History
  • The masterly hand
  • The reigning spirit

Our collections

Stone : Choose a masterwork...

Escalier autour d’une bouteille en pierre
Stairway around a bottle

This reception piece was produced in 1979 by Gascon la Persévérance de Valence-d’Agen, stonemason compagnon des Devoirs. The steps are not added to the bottle but are an extension of it. One of the main difficulties rests in the fact that the shape around which the stairs spiral is not a regular cylinder.

Photo : R. Nourry
La voûte de Genève
The vault of Geneva

The vault of Geneva was produced in 1979 by La Sagesse de Monthodon, compagnon stonemason du Devoir. The deceitfully simple appearance hides major difficulties : along the course of a half-ellipse the ceiling evolves from a square entrance to a barrel exit. Only the mastery of applied geometry can give the ability to conceive, draw and cut such complex shapes.

Photo : R. Nourry
Sphère en staff
Sphere of staff

This sphere made of staff is the reception piece of La Sincérité de Valençay, compagnon plasterer du Devoir in 1990. By piling on difficulties   of construction, this objet gives the illusion of rotating and appears more like a work of art.

Photo : R. Nourry
Chef-d’œuvre du compagnon Bonvous (détail)
Masterpiece of the Bonvous compagnons (detail)

The great masterpiece of the compagnon roofers du Devoir of Angers was started in 1913 by Alfred Bonvous senior (Angevin la Clef des Cœurs) and his son (Angevin Cœur de France). The latter was killed in Verdun during WWI and the father continued on his own this monumental work and brought it to a finish in 1922 after 3700 hours on it. The roofs contain nearly 8,000 slates, some delineated to form mottos, coats of arms and the name of the son who died fighting for his country.

Photo : R. Nourry
Détail de la flèche en ardoise découpée
Detail of the spire made of carved slates

The making of this spire out of carved slates is a remarkable achievement of skill and patience. It was done by Pierre-Germain Philippe, aka Rennois la Promptitude, in the early 20th century for his own pleasure. The small panels were pierced, carved and then filed for this lace-like result before being fitted.

Photo : R. Nourry
Escalier autour d’une bouteille en pierre
Stairway around a bottle

This reception piece was produced in 1979 by Gascon la Persévérance de Valence-d’Agen, stonemason compagnon des Devoirs. The steps are not added to the bottle but are an extension of it. One of the main difficulties rests in the fact that the shape around which the stairs spiral is not a regular cylinder.

Photo : R. Nourry
La voûte de Genève
The vault of Geneva

The vault of Geneva was produced in 1979 by La Sagesse de Monthodon, compagnon stonemason du Devoir. The deceitfully simple appearance hides major difficulties : along the course of a half-ellipse the ceiling evolves from a square entrance to a barrel exit. Only the mastery of applied geometry can give the ability to conceive, draw and cut such complex shapes.

Photo : R. Nourry
Sphère en staff
Sphere of staff

This sphere made of staff is the reception piece of La Sincérité de Valençay, compagnon plasterer du Devoir in 1990. By piling on difficulties   of construction, this objet gives the illusion of rotating and appears more like a work of art.

Photo : R. Nourry
Chef-d’œuvre du compagnon Bonvous (détail)
Masterpiece of the Bonvous compagnons (detail)

The great masterpiece of the compagnon roofers du Devoir of Angers was started in 1913 by Alfred Bonvous senior (Angevin la Clef des Cœurs) and his son (Angevin Cœur de France). The latter was killed in Verdun during WWI and the father continued on his own this monumental work and brought it to a finish in 1922 after 3700 hours on it. The roofs contain nearly 8,000 slates, some delineated to form mottos, coats of arms and the name of the son who died fighting for his country.

Photo : R. Nourry
Détail de la flèche en ardoise découpée
Detail of the spire made of carved slates

The making of this spire out of carved slates is a remarkable achievement of skill and patience. It was done by Pierre-Germain Philippe, aka Rennois la Promptitude, in the early 20th century for his own pleasure. The small panels were pierced, carved and then filed for this lace-like result before being fitted.

Photo : R. Nourry
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NEWSLETTER
Musée du
Compagnonnage
de Tours

8 rue Nationale
37000 Tours
Tél. 02 47 21 62 20

  • Home
  • The guilds
    • History
    • The masterly hand
    • The reigning spirit
  • Practical museum
    • Opening and admission
    • Groups
    • Library
    • Agenda
    • Actualités
    • Photo gallery
  • Young visitors
    • Families
    • Schoolchildren
  • Genealogy
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