Maison du IV de Chiffre

This Gothic home, built in 1493, had 'IV de Chiffre' sculpted between the three windows on the upper floor. This sign, which disappeared during restoration work, was reported on in the Avignon maazine 'La Farandole, in its issue n° 53 published on 21 October 1913.

This home was one of the rare homes from the Middle Ages which still remained in Avignon. It has a small cartouche that stated the date of its construction: 1493. The house underwent many changes in the 18th and 19th centuries. The crenelated front and the corner turrets have maintained its late Gothic appearance. The upper floors are reached by a spiral staircase that projects outwards on the courtyard façade. A large drawing room occupies most of the first story. It has a monumental fireplace and a wooden ceiling made with beams that are 90 cm high.

The house was registered as a historical monument on 20 May 1927.

The house is decorated with several monograms known as 'Quatre de chiffre', which must have been a sort of commercial brand. Most are now nearly illegible.

The meaning of this monogram remains mysterious. Yet, it has been widely used on sculptures, tapestries, seals, playing cards, pottery, musical instruments, Catholic churches and artists' monograms. It has been used by notaires, merchants, fabric merchants, masons and gem cutters.

It depicts a stylized heart pierced at the top by a spear decorated successively with a Saint-Andrew's cross and a Lorraine cross. Inside the heart, it is crossed by a segment bounded at each end by a small piton.

The number 4 or IV, was used as a talisman against the plague in medieval times.

The ground floor could be reached by a little bridge which crossed the river. A door and two windows led into the house. The upper floor had three windows. A cenral mullion divided the windows into unequal sections. On the second story, two windows were topped by a fretwork string course, and the two corners held watchtowers. On the top crenelated cornice, two gargoyles served to drain rainwater from the roof.

A spiral staircase, known as a 'visette' ran from the ground floor to the roof. The first story was built with beams that are 90cm thick, and held a monumental Gothic fireplace

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