Château des Barres Estate in the Yonne department, in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté

An inscription on the chapel’s portal indicates the building’s date of construction, 1786, in the Neo-Romanesque style, characteristic of the interest in the Middle Ages. Notably, the «Neo-Gothic» style sacristy and the exceptional set of trompe-l’œil paintings that mimic architecture and figures in the round. The vaulted crypt is designed to house burial sites. The design of the chapel was entrusted to Dondaine, the diocesan architect.

Dedicated to Saint Roch, this chapel was once accessible from the reception rooms to facilitate the devotion of the owner of the house. The building features a semicircular vault spanning about ten meters and is pierced on the east side by three oculus windows—one quatrefoil (upper section) and two ovoid oculus windows (lower section)—overlooking the marble inlay altar.

The interior is adorned with remarkable trompe-l’œil architectural decoration, notably trefoil cloister arches overhanging saints with attributes, separated by colonnades topped with Corinthian capitals. A series of moldings and foliage patterns serving as a drip line surmounts the lower section. A triforium encircles the chapel with architectural motifs up to the center of the vault and slopes down on either side, creating an exceptional architectural ensemble.

Trompe-l’œil transverse arches, composed of three rounded arches, visually divide the building into bays adorned with interlaced patterns, ovals, trefoils, quatrefoils, festoons, and gables. The richly detailed and beautifully crafted decoration is in fair condition.

These trompe-l’œil paintings are similar to those found in Chambéry Cathedral and Hautecombe Abbey. Indeed, the faux architecture was created using stencils, whose patterns could be easily repeated. The trompe-l’œil paintings rely on lighting that accentuates the relief of the faux stonework. The lines marking the placement of the patterns are still visible. This technique was popular among Italian painters, who were highly prized for their skill in rendering the architecture of religious buildings. More expansive and elaborate, the motifs in Chambéry Cathedral are better suited to the scale and grandeur of the space; the motifs at Les Barres are more understated and less sophisticated, befitting a family chapel.

The names of the painters Vacca and Viccario, known for their trompe-l’œil architecture, have been suggested, but without any confirmation, given the absence of signatures, estimates, or invoices that would attest to the work of these masters of trompe-l’œil. As heads of major workshops, these artists are well represented in churches throughout northern Italy and Savoy.