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IDES310FrenchRenBaroque-1.pptxRenaissance - Baroque France – 16th-18th centuries
Louis XVI – Louis Quatorze Style
The style of high Classical period in France under the rule of Louis XIV,
(1643 – 1715)
Architecture, Furniture, Decoration culminating in the building of the Palace of Versailles
Timelines
1. EARLY RENAISSANCE (1484-1547). Reigns of Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francis I. Transitional period. A mixture of Gothic structural forms with Italian Renaissance architectural detail and ornament.
2. MIDDLE RENAISSANCE (1547-1589). Reigns of Henry II, Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry IlI. The gradual elimination of Gothic forms, with greater use of Italian ornament and Renaissance architectural detail, with local variations. Catherine de Medici dominates the kingdom.
3. LATE RENAISSANCE (1589-1643). Reigns of Henry IV and Louis XIlI. Continuation of Italian Renaissance influence mixed with Dutch and Flemish influence. Enlargement of Nantes issued 1598.
4. BAROQUE STYLE (1643-1700). Reign of Louis XIV, 1643-1715. Golden age. The first of the purely native styles. Splendor and magnificence. The use of classic architectural orders. Rectangular wooden wall paneling. Enormous rooms, and large-scale furniture. Richly carved ornamentation and strong color contrasts. Curves formed by the compass.
On our way to Baroque – but a bit of French Renaissance first.
Italian influence spreads from Italy into France.
Italian Renaissance masters make their way into France. Sangallo, Serio, Leonardo da Vinci, Bernini to name a few (of the great) bringing their talents to France.
The influence /development of French Renaissance provides a pathway to French Baroque
Classical features abound: pilasters, moldings.
Take a quick trip to the Châteaux of the Loire Valley Loire Valley
Louis XII of France – 1498-1515 Porcupine – Fleur di Lis emblems
Château de Blois – Blois, France, Loire Valley Early Renaissance The Château de Blois was built in different phases between the Middle Ages and the 17th centuries in both Gothic and Italian Renaissance architectural styles. Reigns of Louis XII and François I
Château de Blois
Detail of Louis XII
on horseback
Louis XII wing and the chapel
to the right.
Gothic detail: pointed arch and sexfoil windows.
Château de Blois – François I (Renaissance style wing addition) Visit: https://www.experienceloire.com/chateau-de-blois.htm
François I Emblems of François as seen throughout Château Chambord
François I
Salamander
“F” initial
Château de Chambord François I
Huge royal palace/hunting lodge in Chambord in the Loire Valley of France. Built between 1519-1547.
Moated medieval round towers and high roofs display concepts of Renaissance symmetry.
Exterior arches, pilasters, and moldings reinforce the style/detail of the Italian Renaissance.
The roof is replete with chimneys, dormers, towers, and domes.
Classic details are lacking obvious organization in this Early Renaissance château.
Château de Chambord, Chambord, France (1519–1547),
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Early Renaissance – Château de Chambord Royal Palace and Hunting Lodge
https://loirevalley.guide/portfolio-items/chateau-de-chambord/
https://www.chambord.org/en/discovering/the-castle-visit/
This is an interesting article – possibly the missing piece? My favorite part – the staged/recreated photo of Leonardo da Vinci’s last home, and personal studio at Chateau de Clos Lucé. You’ll see he brought along his Sgabello chair from Italy!
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200316-the-unsolved-mystery-of-frances-iconic-loire-valley
Château de Chambord – Interior
The interior space of Chambord is focused on a double staircase (credited to Leonardo da Vinci, yet not proven) set in the center of a Greek cross shape.
Living spaces occupy the four corners of the square.
Additional rooms, stairs, passageways are hid away in the corner towers.
Fixed details such as stone fireplaces, coffered ceilings, detailed doorways and the central double staircase reflect Italian Renaissance classic detail.
Furnishings were moved to and from Paris when the royal court travelled.
Château d’Azlay-le-Rideau, Loire, France 1518-1527- Early Renaissance
Visit the Château d’Azlay-le-Rideau – lovely exterior and interior photographs.
The rooms are set up with no hallway or passage access. Instead, rooms are lined up off the stairway and you access one room through another.
Each room is like another. The major rooms each have beautiful beamed ceilings, walls of stone which are usually covered with stretched cloth, and for heat, a fireplace with a beautifully carved mantel.
There were no official designations for room use, so the furnishings could be moved about as needed. A bedroom today and possibly a dining space tomorrow.
Colors were from a natural palate of stone and wood and the applied wallcoverings set the color for individual spaces.
Château d’ Azay le Rideau - Renaissance
Sebastiano Serlio Château d'Ancy le Franc en Bourgogne(Burgundy) c. 1546
Perfect symmetry
Classic Renaissance detailing includes round arches, pilasters,
Corinthian capitals, niches, corbels, blind
arcaded walls and more.
Sebastiano Serlio Château d'Ancy le Franc en Bourgogne(Burgundy) c. 1546
François Mansart Château de Maisons Lafitte Paris 1642-1651- FRENCH BAROQUE architecture
François Mansart Château de Maisons Lafitte Paris 1642-1651
Château de Fontainebleau
André Le Nôtre 17th century French landscape architect
https://www.francethisway.com/culture/andre-le-notre.php
Château de Fountainebleu – built by Francis I used mainly by Louis XIV
Louis XIV – Louis Quatorze – Louis le Grande le Roi Soleil
French Baroque coincides with the reign of and is created for Louis XIV, an absolute monarch who considers himself the greatest ruler in Europe.
France is the leading world power in the 17th century.
Italy is replaced by France as the artistic leader of Europe.
Château de Versailles is the grandest example of French Baroque.
All of Europe is captivated by the grandeur of Versailles.
Louis XIV‘s Versailles sets the standard for luxury & extravagance in architecture, interiors, and furniture.
French Baroque exemplifies French classicism through grandeur, and drama creating phenomenal responses around the world.
The Galerie d’Apollon Palace of the Louvre, Paris (after 1661-2)
Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte 1656 Maincy, France
https://vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/decouvrir/the-history/the-history-of-the-chateau-in-video/
Before Versailles There Was Vaux-le-Vicomte
Church of the Val-de-Grâce, Paris 1645-67 Jacques LeMercier and François Mansart
Bernini’s Baldacchino – similar to St. Peter’s but has 6
twisted Corinthian columns. St.Peter’s has four. See page
175 of your textbook.
ARCHITECTURE
Baroque Classicism
Symmetry, classical order, monumental scale, center emphasis
Borrows from conservative Italian Baroque of Bernini
Façades relatively flat with projecting units
Dignity, masculinity, vigorous but restrained ornament
Distinctively French—pavilions, frontispiece with pediment or separate roof & sculptural ornament, tall hipped or mansard roof
Extravagantly planned exteriors & interiors
Great building activity—Versailles, châteaux, hôtels, middle-class housing
Concepts “I would define the baroque as that style that deliberately exhausts its own possibilities”. Jorge Luis Borges
French Baroque seeks to awe & inspire absolutism (promotion of the King over the church) of Sun King, Louis XIV
This new style projects extreme grandeur, majesty, and luxury.
Compositions include the integration of landscape, architecture, interiors, furniture, & decorative arts.
Baroque architecture is characterized by intricate details and extreme decoration
The extreme grandeur of the details is considered deliberately over-emphasized yet tastefully restrained.
Order and formality are embraced and employed throughout French Baroque.
Motifs of baroque applied at Versailles include the Louis XIV intertwined L’s, sun faces, military symbols, fleur-de-lis, crowns; acanthus leaves, cherubs, and cartouches.
Motifs: Top from left: intertwining L’s and sun face; bottom: crown and fleur-de-lis. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Intertwining L’s
fleur-de-lis
Crown above fleur-de-lis
Sun face
East Front, Louvre, 1667-1670; Paris, France; Claude Perrault, Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV
Château Vaux-le-Vicomte, 1657-1661, near Paris, France; Louis Le Vau, André Le Nôtre, and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Château Vaux-le-Vicomte, floor plan, 1657-1661, near Paris, France; Louis Le Vau, André Le Nôtre, and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV
Château Vaux-le-Vicomte oval salon ceiling and oval salon, 1657-1661, near Paris, France; Louis Le Vau, André Le Nôtre, and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV. Additional reading: Vaux-le-Vicomte grande salon ceiling
Château Vaux-le-Vicomte interior with tapestry, 1657-1661, near Paris, France; Louis Le Vau, André Le Nôtre, and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV
Vaux-le-Vicomte – Melun, France – 1656 about 25 miles outside of Paris
https://vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/decouvrir/the-history/the-history-of-the-chateau-in-video/
Louis La Vau 1612-1670 Château de Versailles
http://www.versailles3d.com/en/in-video/from-louis-xiii-to-the-french-revolution.html
Palais de Versailles, La Cour d'honneur or Marble Court, 1664-1672; Versailles, France; Louis Le Vau. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Palais de Versailles, floor plan, 1631-1772; Versailles, France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Palais de Versailles, Garden Front, 1664-1672; Versailles, France; Louis Le Vau. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Visitez Versailles depuis chez vous
INTERIORS
Compliment exteriors—classical order, language, & motifs but far more sumptuous
Symmetry, formality, grandeur, large scale, rich decoration, vivid color, luxurious materials
Rectilinear space arranged symmetrically new to France
Ceremonial interiors are most lavishly appointed
Balustrades and daises separate to support etiquette & rituals
Charles Le Brun plans & decorates Versailles interiors
Great power & influence, virtually creates Louis XIV's style
Considered 1st all-around interior decorator
The French Royal Academy of Painting & Sculpture was the preeminent training institution for painters and sculptors who studied and trained in the arts and went on to embellish the interiors of Versailles.
Charles Le Brun – famous decorator of Château de Versailles and Vaux-le Vicomte
Charles Le Brun – 1619-1690 Master ‘Decorator’ Château de Versailles
Galerie des Glaces, Hall of Mirrors, Chateau of Versailles began 1679
Palais de Versailles, Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), 1664-1672; Versailles, France; Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Versailles, France Chambre du Roi Louis XIV c.1701
See photo, page 173, of your text for better visual details of Louis XIV bedroom.
Palais de Versailles, Salon de la Paix (Room of Peace), 1664-1672; Versailles, France; Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
FURNISHINGS AND DECORATIVE ARTS
Harmonizes with interiors & influence of Charles Le Brun becomes integral part of room decoration
Supports ceremony, rank, status so appearance more important than comfort
Heaviness of furniture structure and grand ornamentation complement giant scale of spaces.
Woods used: Oak and Walnut with inlays of exotic woods such as tulip and zebra wood.
Symmetrical, rectangular, some large curves, massive proportions, lavish decoration
Carving, marquetry, gilding and silver
Legs—term, console, turned, cabriole
Feet—bun, paw, carved, turned
Stretchers—X or saltire, H
Factories open to produce goods for court, nobility, middle class
Textiles: Tapestry commemorating the visit of Louis XIV to the Gobelins factory in 1667. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Gobelins Tapestry Factory
https://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/blog/gobelin-tapestry/
https://www.rct.uk/collection/people/gobelins-tapestry-factory#/type/creator
Rugs: Savonnerie rug, 1680; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV
Textiles: Textiles reflecting designs of Louis XIV; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Rugs: Savonnerie rug, 1680; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
The Persian Knot Note the same C and S scroll patterns used on furniture also appears in rug design.
Marquetry – inlaid work made of variously colored wood or other materials, used chiefly for the decoration of furniture. (Mid 16th c. from French marqueterie for variegated )
Gilt fauteuil, late 17th century; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Check out this site for up-close detail of Baroque
fauteuil chair. dalvabrothers
Lighting: Guéridon and candelabra; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
18-11. Carved and gilded canapé, late 17th century; France; French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Table; 17th century; France. French Baroque/Louis XIV.
Commode, early 18th century, France; André-Charles Boulle. French Baroque/Louis XIV
Check out this link: Boulle work today
André-Charles Boulle (1642-1732)
Boulle and his four sons were French master
cabinetmakers. Boulle designed rich, ornate, massive
pieces, often in his own veneer technique of
tortoiseshell and brass inlay. In 1672, Boulle was
appointed bead cabinetmaker to Louis XIV.
https://buffaloah.com/f/glos/b/boulle.html
Tortoise shell commode with brass Marquetry – France,
c. 1710-1732
,
Armoire, c. 1700; attributed to André-Charles Boulle. France. Baroque/Louis XIV.
Did you know? École Boulle- Boulle School
in Paris has a program where you can study/learn
and become a Boulle craftsperson.
Merci Beaucoup
Fin
