Theory 1 - 08 French Classicism

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French Classicism: Ancients and ModernsTHEORY 111Italy: From Renaissance to BaroqueTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

RenaissanceBaroque2Italy: From Renaissance to BaroqueTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

RenaissanceBaroqueFrance vs. Italy1494 Charles VIII (initiated the war)1499 Louis XII1515 Francois ITSELIZAGATHEORY 1Italy lostFrance discovered and appreciated the Italian architecture and humanism.French kings invited Italian artists to FranceVitruvius and book of Alberti were published and translated in French.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Rene DescartesRules for the Direction of the Mind (1628)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Rene DescartesHe challenged the idea that the arts participated in the greater order of the universe, in an eternal grammar of mathematical forms, numbers and relations.

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Rene DescartesUsed his deductive reasoning or CartesianismCompiled a notebook of rules that would guide him through his logical deliberations. (Discourse on Methods)

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Rule ThreeConcerning objects proposed for study, we ought to investigate what we can clearly and evidently intuit or deduce with certainty, and not what other people have thought or what we ourselves conjecture. For knowledge can be attained in no other way.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Roland Freart de ChambrayPreface to A Parallel of the Ancient Architecture with the Modern (1650)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Scepticism to Italian BaroqueAllowed the French departure from the Italian taste by his belief that there was no universally accepted proportional system.This allowed the French to invent as the AncientsTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Paul Freart de ChantelouDiary of the Cavalier Beninis visit to France (1655)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

The LouvreTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

The LouvreTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

The LouvreTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

The LouvreTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

The LouvreTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Louis XIVTSELIZAGATHEORY 1He moved the residence of king to VersaillesHe invited Bernini to France to renovate the Louvre

Jean-Baptiste ColbertTSELIZAGATHEORY 1French politician who served as the Minister of Finances of France.He orchestrated the completion of the Louvre.

Gian Lorenzo BerniniTSELIZAGATHEORY 1A famous Renaissance artistTook him five months to design the Louvre.

Paul Freart de ChantelouTSELIZAGATHEORY 1He was tasked to escort Bernini to Paris

Claude PerraultTSELIZAGATHEORY 1His criticism of Berninis design caused the artist to resign his commission.He ended up designing the eastern range of the Louvre palace

Jacques-Franois Blondel

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Institution of the AcademiesDance (1661)Inscription & Belles Lettre (1663)Painting & Sculpture (1664 reformat)Science (1666)Music (1669)Architecture (1671)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Royal Academy of ArchitectureFounded in 1671First director Francois BlondelHostile to BaroqueTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Jacques-Franois BlondelHe wrote the curriculum according to Vitruvius and some Renaissance teachingsThrough this the excess of Baroque has been officially condemned.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Architecture DiscourseTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Written by Brondel.First architectural textbook of French academic theory.His definition of architecture is similar to Vitruvius.

Ren OuvrardHarmonic Architecture (1677)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Ren OuvrardHe is a friend of BlondelHe is the musical master at Saint ChapelleTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Ren OuvrardFor him, architectural proportions, like musical tonalities, emanate from and must reflect the cosmic order of numbers and ratios.Does not allow the architect to make optical adjustments as Vitruvius had permitted.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Claude PerraultAnnotation to French translation of Ten Books of Architecture by Vitruvius (1673)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Claude PerraultOpposition to Blondels inflexibilityHe used the translation as an opportunity to demand for the same freedom as Vitruvius for the French architects.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Claude Perrault

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Claude PerraultIn his design for the east wing of the Louvre, he introduced a little of Gothic:Not decorative or formal language of Gothic architectureBut the structural and visual lightness of Gothic churches.This instigated the 17th century quarrel between the ancients and the modernsTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Position of the AncientsProportions of modern architecture must conform to those of classical times.The extremely light proportions of the Gothic style should never be given high regard.Innovations might be allowed but only in the rarest of circumstance and by an architect of undisputed genius.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Position of the ModernsBlind adherence to antique ways would effectively stop all modern innovations.On the Gothic structural efficiency: the interior openness and greater daylight should be allowed by the more slender pillars.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Ordinance of the Five Kinds of Columns after the Method of the AncientsClaude Perrault

His treatise:He offered a scientific solution to the old problems that there is no exact basis for the proportional rations of the AncientsHe set the standards based on averages of measurements.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1RepercussionsHe argued that there is no such thing as harmonic ratiosHe insisted that proportions were by no means absolute, but were based on customs or habits.Modified classical theory by introducing two types of beauty:PositiveArbitraryTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Jean Franois FlibienHistorical Survey of the Life and Works of the Most Celebrated Architects (1687)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

He differentiated between gothic anciens and gothic moderneThis paved the way for more serious study of Gothic architecture, which focus more on structural efficiency.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Charles PerraultParallel of the Ancients and the Moderns with Regard to the Arts and Sciences (1688)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Charles PerraultTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

A Cinderella StoryLittle Red Riding HoodCharles PerraultHe is the brother of Claude PerraultHis treatise is a defence for the right of his age to create its own art apart from the sanctions of the past.

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Michel de FreminCritical Memories of ArchitectureTSELIZAGATHEORY 1Michel de FreminHe is a builder, financial administrator, and engineer.His criticism of Gothic churches influenced the celebrated architects of his time.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Gothic ChurchesNotre DameSainte ChapelleTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Gothic ChurchesSpaciousFilled with interior daylightGood and sound architectureTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Hybird Gothic ChurchesSt. EusctacheSt. SulpiceTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Hybird Gothic ChurchesDarkPoorly ventilatedDifficult to move aboutDifficult to find fixed lateral sightline in because of massive piersTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Jules Hardouin-MansartTSELIZAGATHEORY 1

He designed the chapel in Versailles, taking note of Fremins observations.Chapel at Versailles

TSELIZAGATHEORY 1Jean Louis de CordemoyNew Treatise on Architecture (1706)The Art of Building (1714)TSELIZAGATHEORY 1

Jean Louis de CordemoyHe had no architectural training thus his treatise was the first one written by a layman.He criticized the Basilica of St. Peter for the use of piers and pilasters and suggested following Perraults strategy of using columns.He carried Perraults idea to the 18th century.TSELIZAGATHEORY 1