Rachel Goldman

Birth of Modern Europe

Mr. Meyers

March 13th, 2000

For one to say that the French revere their time spent soaking up art and culture is an incredible understatement. Particularly in Paris, where an abundance of venues is concentrated within a few square miles; it is uncommon to find the French devoting their weekends to exploring the abundance of museums and cultural heavens that are right at their fingertips. Many of the provincial areas are also blessed with impressive monuments to art and architecture.

It is not surprising that one can attribute both the people’s pride in their heritage as well as the sheer extent of France’s artistic wealth, to a long, colorful and often a tumultuous history. Much of the French thirsts for cultural enrichment and education, dates back to the Crusades. When books, artistic influences, mathematics and philosophical thoughts were carried back to the Gaelic people who were distant, but extremely advanced civilizations. Though relatively few artifacts remain from these earlier eras, the art and architecture of these ancient civilizations can be traced back in time using the links that existed through the other great ancient empires.

During the past millennium, many of the icons and most prolific minds in philosophy, literature, poetry, theater, painting, sculpture, architecture and science can be credited to the French, or in some cases expatriates living in France. The encouragement and support for artistic endeavors have been a hallmark for France’s kings, emperors and even the presidents of the present day. In order to preserve such a rich heritage, and to make it more widely available outside of Paris, a Ministry of Culture was established by the French Government in 1959.

The structures that are now known are Baroque buildings were aimed to primarily serve the kings of the time in his never ending efforts to impress the public with his grandeur. In the beginning of the 16th Century the French architecture became quite dependent of the Italian influence that had be seeping in the past years. During the reign of Ana of Austria a new style was beginning to appear, as it made its way into French culture it became so popular that it survived until the end of the reign of Louis the XIV.

Most of the criteria for a building to be considered to be Baroque is that they are symmetrical, with straight lines and most often are broken at right angles. The ceilings will be high with curricular, rectangular or square domes at the top. The windows are numerous and allow for an abundance of light. Many times columns are found in the upper floors only, and there is usually triangular entablatures that are combined with arched ones. This Baroque style combines bricks and stones mostly favoring the colorful ones.

After a long period of religious warfare, architecture was again given a high priority. The reign of Henry IV from 1589 to 1610 was a period of competent and enlightens government as well as extensive town planning. The king’s marriage to Marie de Medici of Florence helped to ensure high esteem for Italian artistic accomplishments. The Palace des Vosges built in 1605, was then called the Place Royale, and the Palace Dauphine built in 1607 were planned and built in the Baroque style. In Paris a second generation of artists called the second school of Fontainebleau was trained and inspired by the Italian painters to perpetuate the Italian tradition under the patronage to Henry the IV.

In the second and the third quarters of the century in which the ministries of Cardinal Richelieu to Louis the XIII and then Cardinal Mazarin to boy king Louis the XIV, France was a flourishing country and became a major European power. These learned men required the most prestigious of dwellings that would be suited to their station and new found power. The architects Jacques Lemercier who built Cardinal Richelieu’s Palais Cardinal in 1633, which is now known as the Palais Royale, and the Church of the Sorbonne that was built in 1635, as well as Francois and Mansart and Louis Le Vau were commissioned to adapt the Italian baroque to style and needs of the French.

During the personal reign of Louis XIV from 1661 - 1715 the arts served the state under the direction of the powerful minister of commerce and of royal works, Jean Baptiste Colbert. The Louve was enlarged, and the magnificent palace of Versailles was built from 1669 - 1690 as the fitting residence of the most powerful king of France to date. The leader of the architecture of the latter half of the 17th century was Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who was also designed parts of the palace of Versailles, the Orangerie and numerous squares and public building in the city of Paris.

Italy also played a fundamental role in the redirection of French painting in the 17th century. Some French artists, notably Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain, created new modes of painting while living in Italy. Other artists, such as Simon Vouet, fostered a native French baroque style. Colbert founded the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1663 to protect this group of artists and enlist their services for the state. Charles LeBurn was named first painter to the king and guided the academy. Under his leadership, artists celebrated the triumphs of the Sun King who was Louis the XIV.

These artist works included mural paintings, altarpieces, tapestry cartoons and other large scale narrative works associating Louis the XIV and this entire reign with the greatest men and events in all of classical history and literature. The same was true for the sculpture that was commissioned while he was king. They were monumental figures of the king or large scale structure that were built to ornament the public park, squares and many of the formal gardens in either the palaces or the churches. Recognizing that Italy would always be the worlds greatest school of both classical and Renaissance art, Colbert founded the French Academy in Rome in 1666. This is were the most gifted of all the French artist were sent at the expense of the crown especially during the reign of Louis the XIV.

This new style of baroque was expensive and extremely beautiful. It was so enjoyed by the crown because it looked to be as costly as it really was. The architects and artist that were commissioned to build these great buildings, monuments and paintings were some of the most acclaimed members in their respected fields. They were the only ones that had the statues to create anything that was for the king. Louis the XIV was the most elaborate of all the French kings, everything that was done during his reign is still considered to be some of the greatest work done in the history of France. Because France has always been a heaven for lavish artistry, it is not a surprise that in a time of great abundance and supreme rule by the crown that some of the greatest work ever created was done then. The style of Baroque is still today considered to be beautiful and greatly admired by artists and art historians.