In 1915, the Marmont forge disappeared, replaced by a cable factory whose buildings were moved to the railroad tracks where ArcelorMittal now stands. This last episode is illustrated by a wall of contemporary photographs by Claire Jachymiak.

The “puddleur” (furnace worker) “loaded a load of cast iron weighing 225 kilos, which had to yield 195 kilos of iron... At arm's length! Using an iron poker, the puddler stirred, pierced, felt and “stirred” the molten iron inside the furnace. Finally, at the decisive moment, which he judged by his esteem, ... he extracted from the furnace a white tumor, with an unbearable glow, full of flaming pustules.

Through models, engravings, and photographs, discover the Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine forge, a major industrial site of the 19th century in France.

The blast furnaces were built in 1777 and later transformed in the 19th century by Marshal Marmont into an English-style factory with blast furnaces and puddling furnaces powered by coal. This was the golden age of the forge: by 1850, it boasted 16 puddling furnaces, 8 reheating furnaces, 3 rolling mills, and 500 horsepower, powered jointly by water and steam.

The Châtillonnais region is particularly suited to the metallurgical industry due to the presence of three essential ingredients for its growth: water, iron ore, and wood. Along the three valleys – the Seine, Ource, and Aube – structures for the extraction and transformation of iron were established throughout the 18th century.

More information about Malo A. and her creations :

Malo A.'s (Malaurie Auliac) work immerses us in a world where wildlife comes to life with rare intensity. Through a realistic and naturalistic style, the artist elevates her subjects, often encased in gold, silver, or copper, as if offering a tribute to fragile nature. By mastering techniques such as watercolor, Chinese ink, and acrylic paint on fine papers, she creates a luminous and expressive world where birds, framed in gold, seem to soar out of the canvas. Inspired by Orthodox icons, Japanese Byōbu screens, and 1930s decorative art, Malo A.

The temporary exhibition "De plumes et d'Or" (Of Feather and Gold) showcases the luminous bird paintings by artist Malo A., which are highlighted with gold leaf. These artworks engage in a dialogue with the 19th-century collection of taxidermied birds by Fernand Daguin, creating a connection between contemporary art and scientific heritage. The birds, enhanced by gold, provide a poetic and radiant vision of nature while paying tribute to the aesthetics of past naturalist representations.