Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo in France Early Renaissance

Chateau de Chambord, France, begun 1519 § a square central block with wings stretch out to round towers § divided into four parts by a Greek cross, the arms of which lead from the entrances to the central staircase § Pillars are topped with Ionic capitals, vaulted and coffered ceiling § Staircase based on a design by da Vinci

Chateau de Azay-le-Rideau, France, 1518-27 § huge fireplace and mantel carved in stone in Italian Renaissance style § walls covered with yellow silk § canopied bed, savonarola § natural tones of wood and stone Strapwork: carved decorative details suggesting band cut from leather

Rosso, Palace of Fontainebleau, near Paris, 1533-40 -paneling on the walls with ornately framed painting and stucco -beamed ceiling carries decorative detail -simple wood parquet -stucco sculptural figures by Rosso and florid decorative details Rosso Fiorentino - Use of strapwork, suggesting pieces of leather rolled and folded and cut into fantastic shapes

Mansard: roof with steeply sloping surfaces as developed in the French Renaissance

Francois Mansart, Grande Salle, Chateau de Maisons, 1642-51 - Doric columns and details - ornamented ceiling and sculptural bird - Vestibule French Baroque Louis XIV style (1643-1715)

Le Vau and Hardouin-Mansart, Galerie des Glaces, Chateau of Versailles, 1679 -Many mirrors along one wall -richly colored marble -gilded plaster work -parquet floor Hardouin Mansart, Royal Chapel, Versailles, 1689-1710 - gilding used for the railing balusters - painted half dome and vaulted ceiling - colored marble floor in geometric patterns

Chateau of Versailles Le Vau and Charles Lebrun, Galerie d’ Apollon, Palace of the Louvre, Paris, 1661-2 -barrel vaulted ceiling covered with sculptural and painted decoration -sun-god Apollo as the reference to Louis as sun king

Francois Mansart, Church of Val-de-Grace, Paris, 1645-67 -baldacchino above the altar designed by Bernini -six twisted Corinthian columns Hardouin Mansart , Church of Les Invalides, Paris, 1677-1706 -tall central space topped with a great dome -gray stone with painted panels -windows high up below the dome -decoration of interior lasted until after his death in 1708 Marquetry: elaborate surface decoration using inlay in wood veneering Armoires: movable wardrobe cabinet with door front Commodes: table height storage units with drawers or shelves Ormolu: gilded gold and bronze used as decorative detail on furniture Boulle: metal and shell inlay works by Charles Boulle Girandole: decorative candle holder Jean Demoulin, Commode, France, mid-18th century -Chinese lacquer -gilded metal Rococo decoration and florid shape, marble top Wardrobe in ebony, Boulle, French, 1700 § Gilt bronze, brass and tortoiseshell marquetry § Static with not a hint of baroque movement

Cabinet by Pierre Gole, French, 1660 § Marquetry of tortoiseshell § Ivory, green stained bone, ebony, boxwood, Kingwood, tulipwood and other woods, and decorated with gilt bronze Cabinet in ebony, A. Boulle, French, 1675-80 § Marquetry of various woods § Stained, pewter, brass, and other materials § Supported by carved wooden caryatids of Hercules Regency to Rococo

Regence: 1715 – 1723 (transitional) Less heavy, clumsy, overbearing than Louis XIV style

-Cabriole: S-curved leg for furniture -Flowing curves -Asymmetrical ornament -Natural forms of shells and foliage -Candlesticks, chandelier Gabriel boffrand, Salon de la Princesse, Hotel de Soubise, Paris, 1735 -oval room (princess’s hall) -Rococo details, mirrors, and paintings -white plaster cupids cling to the gilded ornamental detail

Regence and Rococo Furniture

-Fauteuil: arm chair with upholstered seat and back and open padded arms -Canapé: small upholstered sofa -Chaise longue: chair with extended seat area -Drop-leaf: box-form desk with a down swinging panel for writing surface -Rolltop: desk with a top cover rolled away Commode, A. Boulle, French, 1708 § Tortoiseshell and brass marquetry with gilt bronze mounts and marble top

Bureau, A. Boulle, French, 1720 § Decorated with chinoiserie polychrome § Marquetry including pearl, stained shell, ebony, purpleheart, kingwood, brass and gilt bronze § Parquetry top

Rococo furniture, Francois Boucher, French, 1739 § Including a side-table, overmantel mirror, wall clock and candelabra § Chairs became organic, adapted to the human body § Organic and flickering rather than organized look and energetic movement

Clock in gilt bronze, French, 1754 § Porcelain § Naturalistic flowers spread in Europe

Commode, J. Caffieri, French, 1739 § Veneered in kingwood and mahogany on oak § Top of breccia marble § Gilt bronze mounts Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Bedchamber of Marie Antoinette, Petit trianon, Versailles, 1762 -low ceilinged room -simple paneling painted in a pastel tone -neoclassical forms of furniture Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Salon, petit Trianon, Versailles, near Paris, 1762-8 -delicate carved wall -details of fireplace, mirror, candle holders -restraint of Rococo

The Tapestry Room, Gobelins, 1775 § tapestries on walls and seat furniture § Tripod candelabra, pedestals, and carpet Armchair, French, 1770 § Vitruvian scroll and heavy garlands of roses § Petals carved in straight lines

Francois-Joseph Belanger, Hotel Baudard de Saint-James, Place Vendome, Paris, 1775-80 -white paint and gilding, mirrors and paintings -fireplace mantel, and chandeliers -parquet floor with sunburst motif -mantel clock Directoire (1793-1804): • Consulate style: French decorative style of Napoleonic era • Egyptian, Roman, and Pompeiian motif and military element • simplifying details • striped silk suggesting spears and lances

Empire Style (1804-1815)

Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, Chateau de Malmaison, Paris, 1801 -various warlike trophies as decoration in the Empire style to honor Napoleon’s victory -blend luxury with a sternness and rigor -loosely draped fabric along walls and beds Lit en bateau: large bed surrounded by a vertical tent fabric Fasces: bundled sticks as the symbol of power of Roman emperors ‘Archaeological’ furniture and a sculpture by Canova, princess Borghese, Jean Bosio, French, 1805

Couch, French, 1800 § Mahogany, gilt bronze with fabric draped § Scroll ends § gilt-bronze mounts have grotesques, palms and roses § Wood, wax, textiles or mixture of materials Dressing table and chair, French, 1819 § The furniture is mounted on steel § Glittering diamond-cut glass, gilt bronze § Chair’s back is in a lyre shape made up of dolphins § Legs of table suggest the X-frame and cornucopia Provincial kitchen, Musee Fragonard, Grasse, France, 18-19th Century -tiled stove -no ornamentation other than moldings -open fireplace

Provincial style: design of vernacular or informal character. French and Italian provincial style of the 17th and 18th century are often admired and imitated

French provincial bed-sitting room, Musee Fragonard, Grasse, France -carved fireplace and mantel -simple striped wallpaper -bed fits into the arched and curtained alcove Biedermeier sofa, 1830 -simplicity of detail along with the elegant flowing curvature, combining neoclassical Empire design and German peasant style -lighter colors with black painted details -simplification of the more elaborate furniture forms of the French Empire period