It is in the gallery on the ground floor, that the merchants meet, when
the rainy weather does not permit their meeting in the uncovered
exchange: This was formerly the _Juridiction consulaire_; so its
destination has not been changed since the tribunal of commerce is
established here. In the middle of the gallery on the ground floor, and
to the right on entering from the quay, we remark a handsome staircase,
which is formed by a double flight of steps, from the first landing.
Before the revolution, the statue of Louis XVth was placed here.
This staircase leads up to the audience hall of the chamber of commerce,
which is the most remarkable of the three rooms which compose the first
floor of the building. It is ornamented, with a fine picture of Christ
by Van Dyck. In one of the neighbouring rooms are two paintings of large
dimensions, by Lemonnier, a native of Rouen. One of these paintings
represents the audience given by Louis XVIth to the Chamber of commerce
of Rouen, on the 28th june 1786, in the great hall of the archbishop's
palace, called the _Salle des Etats_. All the figures are of natural
size, and are striking likenesses. The subject of the other painting is
allegorical.
There are three different entrances to this edifice, one from the rue
Nationale, another from the rue des Charrettes and a third from the
Quay.