Large fireback with the coat of arms of Louis Lepeletier de Rosanbo

blog-marc-maison Uncategorized

Second half of the 18th century

Dimensions: W. 79 cm (2' 7'' ⅛) ; H. 97 cm (3' 2'' ¼ ) ; D. 4 cm (1'' ⅝ )

Cast iron


This large Louis XVI era antique fireback is in cast iron. Two facing unicorns hold up a shield bearing a coat of arms "in azure, with silver cross, surmounted with a chevron gules, alongside two mullet sables together with a pointed golden rose" which is that of the Lepeletier family.
Positive identification of this coat of arms as being that of Louis Lepeletier, Marquis of Rosanbo is confirmed by the crown of the marquis, the mortar board and mantle of Président à mortier above the coat of arms.

Louis V Lepeletier, cousin of Louis-Michel Lepeletier, first Martyr of the French Révolution :

The arms of the Lepeletier family : “in azure, with silver cross, surmounted with a chevron gules, alongside two mullet sables together with a pointed golden rose”
The outer garments of the Président à mortier of the Parliament: mortar board (velvet cap adorned with two golden stripes) and coat (ermine-lined scarlet)


Louis Lepeletier, Marquis of Rosanbo :

Born in 1760 in Paris, descendant of Louis III Lepeletier,, Marquis de Rosanbo (1690-1770), lawyer of king Louis XIV in 1709 and adviser in Paris' Parlement in 1710, then first president of the Paris' Parlement between 1736 and 1743, Louis V Lepeletier de Rosanbo was a distinguished French Magistrate. In 1765, when he was only 18 years old, he was elected Président à mortier of the Parliament, one of the most important offices of French justice in the Ancien Régime. From then on, Louis Lepeletier de Rosanbo therefore included the mortar board, black velvet toque adorned with two golden braids, and the coat of the Président à mortier in ermine-lined scarlet within his traditional family coat of arms. It may therefore be considered without any doubt that the composition of the personal arms of Louis Lepeletier de Rosanbo as represented on this fireback was subsequent to 1765.

Suporter of the monarchy and most importantly of Louis XVI during his Revolution trial, he was guillotined in Paris with his wife Antoinette de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, his father-in-law Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes and their daughter Aline with her husband Jean-Batiste de Chateaubriand, eldest brother of the writter, on Apris, 22 1794.

Louis III Lepeletier’s coat of arms

Source : Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des manuscrits, Latin 9643 : Code théodosien (VIIe s.)

The Chateau of Rosanbo and the Hotel Le Peletier de Rosanbo :

In the same family since the 14th century, the castle was the familial fiefdom of the Coskaër de Rosanbo, then of the Le Peletier de Rosanbo, he was changed throughout the generations. The fortified castle was built during the 14th century on a strategic headland. During the next century, a gothic manor was built in extension, then during the 17th century, a building was added to create a courtyard. The son of Louis V Lepeletier and Antoinette de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, Louis VI Lepeletier de Rosanbo, survivor of the the guillotine because of his young age, never came back in the Rosanbo Castle. But his descendant chose to live there and still are.

When residing in Paris, Louis Lepeletier lived in the mansion at 62-64 rue René-Boulanger in Paris, built in 1780 according to the plans of the architect Nicolas-Claude Girardin (1749 - 1786).

The manson in quoted in Mémoires d'outre-tombe by Chateaubriand.






Fireback with the coat of arms of Michel Le Peletier de Souzy and his wife Madeleine Guérin des Forts, Carnavalet museum, Paris. Dated 1688, time of the construction of the Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau mansion. Illustrated in the book by Philippe Palasi, "Plaques de cheminées héraldiques", published by Gourcuff Gradenigo, 2014.
Louis V Lepeletier, cousin of Louis-Michel Lepeletier, first Martyr of the French Révolution :

The Lepeletier family is divided in many branches, of them is known for a Louis-Michel Lepeletier, comte de Saint-Fargeau, partisan of the French Revolution and first Martyr of the French Revolution (1760 - 1793).

Michel Lepeletier. Despite being a supporter of the abolition of the death penalty, for which he pronounces a famous speech in front the Assemblée Nationale in may 1791, he changes his mind when it's about Louis XVI's fate and vote for his execution on January, 20th 1793. On the very same evening, during a dinner where is also Philippe Nicolas Maris de Pâris, fervent royalist and old body guard of Louis XVI. A fight starts between the to men and Pâris kills Lepeletier with his sword.

true « martyr of the Révolution ». His body is exhibited during three days on the Place Vendôme in a spectacular staging invented by the painter Jacques-Louis David before being inhumed in the Panthéon in Paris.

“The Last Moments of Michel Lepeletier”, engraving by Tardieu after the painting by Jacques-Louis David, drawing by Anatole Devosge. The painting is now lost.

Leave a Reply