Chateau de

Chaumont

FRENCH
RENAISSANCE
The louvre in
Chateau de
H I Saint
S T O R Y OF Paris
A R C H I T E C T U R E
3
Agil

Palais de
FRENCH RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

is the name given to theFrench architecture,

between the 15th and early 17th centuries, in
different regions of theKingdom of France.
Stylistically, Renaissance architecture
followedGothic architecture(born in France in
the 12th century) and was succeeded
byBaroque architecture.
FRENCH RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

French Renaissnce Architecture is a mixture of the Italian

Renaissance, a little drop of Gothic form, less emphasis on rules and
correct proportions and more on inventiveness and surface richness.
They admire classicism and highly regard order and symmetry among
their design principles. Protection is still a pronounced element to
architecture; hence, fortified castles, large entry gates, round turrets
with conical roofs and central courtyards are of top priority.
The basic structure for a French Renaissance facade is as follows:
from bottom to top: Repetively sized and shaped windows, pilasters
to divide the facade, round arches, string course, classical motifs,
classical figures, a pavilion, and on top a pediment.
 HISTORY
During the early years of the 16th century theKingdom of Francewere involved in wars in northern Italy, bringing
back to France not just the Renaissance art treasures, but also stylistic ideas. In theLoire Valley. many Renaissance
chateaux appeared at this time, the earliest example being theChteau d'Amboise(c. 1495). The style became
dominant underFrancis I.

TheChteau de Chambord(15191536) is a combination ofGothicstructure and Renaissance ornament. It has

been said"The delight with which the masons heaped Italian ornament onto the elaborate roofscape belongs to
the late gothic spirit of ornamental largesse

The style progressively developed into a FrenchMannerismknown as theHenry II styleunder architects such
asSebastiano Serlio, who was engaged after 1540 in work at theChteau de Fontainebleau. At Fontainebleau
Italian artists such asRosso Fiorentino,Francesco Primaticcio, andNiccolo dell' Abbateformed the FirstSchool of
Fontainebleau. Another castle built by Serlio is theChteau d'Ancy-le-FrancinBurgundywho was also lavishly
decorated by the Flemish and Italian artists from Fontainebleau. Architects such asPhilibert Delorme,Androuet du
Cerceau,Giacomo Vignola, andPierre Lescot, were inspired by the new ideas. The southwest interior facade of the
Cour Carre of theLouvreinPariswas designed by Lescot and covered with exterior carvings byJean Goujon.
Architecture continued to thrive in the reigns ofHenry II andHenry III.
 PERIODS OF THE RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN
FRANCE
EARLY PERIOD (1494-1589) or 16th century.
The special character of this transitional period lies in the combination ofGothic and Renaissance features to form a
picturesque ensemble, while in Italy, a ,return to classic forms took place, In France there was a period of transition,
during which Renaissance details were grafted on to such Gothic features as flying buttresses and pinnacles .

CLASSICAL PERIOD (1589-1715) or 17th century.

The period is notable for the dignity, sobriety and masculine quality of its foremost buildings, resulting from the
subordination of plan, composition and detail of the unity of the whole, and the charity and simplicity with which the
elements were used. Ornament, though somewhat coarse, is vigorous and reasonably restrained.

LATE PERIOD 18th century. (RococoStyle)

Architecturally, three stylistic phases may be distinguished. ROCOCO - a type of Renaissance ornament
in which rock-like forms, fantastic scrolls, and
1. sovereign Louis XV crimped shells are worked up together in a
2. sovereign Louis XVI profusion and confusion of
3. Empire - 1790-1830 detail often without organic coherence, but
presenting a lavish display of decoration.
FRANCE

COUNTRY HOUSES
Country houses took the place of fortified
castles

Some examples:
Chateau de Justice, Rouen
Chateau de Maisons
Chateau d'O, Mortree One of the most harmonious of all chateaux
Chateau de Josselin Designed by Francois Mansart on a symmetrical E-
Chateau de Blois plan
Chateau d'Azay-Rideau
Chateau de Chenonceaux

Chateau de Chambord Palaise du Louvre, Paris

Designed by an Italian, Domenico da Cortona Built from Francis I to Napoleon III
Semi-fortified palace, most famous in Loire Together with Tuilleries, 45 acres constituting
district one of the most imposing palaces in Europe
Petit Trianon, Versailles
Designed by JA Gabriel for
Louis XV
One of most superb pieces
of domestic architecture of
the century
CHURCHES
Church of the Val de Grace,
Paris
Projecting portal by
Francois Mansart, dome by
Lemercier
St. Gervais, Paris
earliest wholly-classical
church facade
by Salomon de Brosse
St. Etienne du Mont,
Paris
THE ROYAL PALACE AT
VERSAILLES
ARCHITECTURE AND ART IN THE SERVICE OF ABSOLUTE POWER
FRENCH RENAISSANCE

PALAIS DE VERSAILLES
DESCRIPTION
Versailles, France
Northern France
10 miles from Paris
2,014 acres
Served as French royaltys
estate
Served as national government
center
Currently a museum
ARCHITECTS OF THE VERSAILLES

Andr Le Ntre Ange-Jacques

Louis Le Gabriel
(12 March 1613
Vau(1612 15 September (23 October 1698 4
11 October 1700) January 1782)
French architect.
1670) French landscape He designed the Petit
French architect Trianon and L'Opra
architect Royal de Versailles
(Royal Opera of
First stage of the enlargement of
the hunting lodge of Louis XIII
(built in 1624) into the Palace at
Versailles under Louis XIV (1668-
9) by Louis LeVau; the black
portions of the plan represent this
stage.
HISTORY
Represents absolutism and
affluent royal
Built as hunting lodge (1631-
1634) for Louis XIII
Louis XIV (right) renovated
(1661-1710) it into the lavish
estate that it is today
UNESCO World heritage site
facts and information about Versailles
Louis XIV proclaimed Versailles to be the seat of the government on
May 6, 1682. In effect, the entire bureaucracy moved from Paris to
the suburban villa of the king.
The court consisted of 20,000 persons that included 9,000 soldiers,
5,000 servants, 1,000 great lords and members of the nobility,
1,000 lesser aristocrats (who visited the court on a daily basis) and
4-5,000 bureaucrats to manage the official business.
The court was further supported by 2,500 horses, 200 coaches, and
5,000 hunting dogs.
The great lords and members of the nobility were required to live at
Versailles--in the palace--so that the king could keep track of them.
They were required to wear entirely new clothing (down to their
linens) for the kings fetes and other important social occasions.
They could beg permission to return to their lands periodically in
order to regroup financially!
 BREAKDOWN

Grand Apartments
Queens apartments
Kings apartments
Hall of Mirrors
Chapels
LOpera
Museum
Gardens
Grand Canal
Walks
Additions
CHAMBERS
CHAMBERS
HALL OF MIRRORS
La Galerie des Glaces
Most famous room
Created after the Dutch War in 1678
Louis XIV
Location of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which ended WWI
HALL OF MIRRORS STRUCTURE

17 arcaded mirrors
Large windows
73 meters long, 10.5 meters wide
Decorated with chandeliers, thousands of
candles, paintings, sculptures and bronze
La Salon de Guerre (Salon of
War) was the prelude to the Hall
of Mirrors. The relief portrait by
Coysevox is based on
The Hall of Mirrors: the axis between war and
peace crosses the axis of absolute power.
The Ambassadors Staircase
The queens apartments
The bedroom of Louis
XIV, site of the rituals
called Le Grand
Lever and Le Grand
Coucher.
GARDENS
230 acres
Begun by Louis XIV in 1661
40 years construction
Includes Grand Canal
50 fountains, 200,000 trees, 210,000 flowers
annually
FOUNTAINS
The garden faade seen from the Tapis vert
(green carpet) of the Versailles Park
 The palace
situated between
the village of
Versailles and the
park with grand
avenues radiating
from the Court of
Honor

The principal approach

connected with the
Champs Elysees in Paris.
The garden in detail
reflects the geometry of
the plan at the urban and
regional scale.
The fountains
with the main e-
w axis in view.

Naval battles were

staged on the
lagoon to the west
of the sloping
grass terrace
The fountains from a birds eye view of Versailles Park
Thesite
Court of Honor

Garden Faade
in the scheme
of 1669 by
Louis LeVau
In 1678, Jules-Hardouin
Mansart filled in the
center section of west
side to create the Hall of
Mirrors (Galerie des
Glaces) as part of a
major expansion of the
palace.
 The Mansart
expansion of
Versailles brought
the total length of
the garden faade
to about one-third
of a mile.

Main
pavilion with
south wing,
viewed from
the south