GOVERNMENT:

1. "I am the Power; I am State"  The French Monarchy provided a high level of political propaganda to the subjects of the kingdom. 

2. Their propaganda conveyed the great power and glory of the State & Monarchy (different rules and laws for the King and aristocrats)

PERIOD:

1. The Baroque style (or end of the Renaissance period) evolved in Rome between 1620 – 1660, but became the 1st universally accepted style to move from country to country and represented the ecclesiastic & aristocratic structures.

2. An era of wealth and courtly style for a select few.  It may have also reflected absolutism and the Counter-Reformation within the Roman Catholic Church. 

3. The period involved theatrical & emotional style of design and composition.  Architecture and landscapes created as high style meant power and respect for their owners.

4. Many Baroque landscapes were misshapen.  Referred to irregularly formed pearl…
   

DESIGN ATTRIBUTES:

1. Irresistible vitality

2. Shapes that swirled & moved

3. Plans based on ovals, decorated center with staircase, side wings, galleries, raised corner pavilions.

4. Some were massive & structural solid.

5. RHYTHMIC PROCESSION of forms leading to CENTRAL TOWERING MASS

6. SENSUOUS & ELABORATE ornamentation to point of SATURATION.

7. UNIFIED ARCHITECTURE & DECORATION.

8. Buoyant, PASTEL COLORS (white & gold).

9. BOUNDARIES between ART FORMS DISSOLVED.

10. URBAN PLANS in response to royal palace surrounded by GEOMETRICALLY DESIGNED GARDENS.

	BERNINI, architect in ITALY 1665 – called to Paris by Louis XIV to design completion of the Louvre, but Perrault’s plan prevailed.
	INIGO JONES, architect  in ENGLAND (PALLADIAN style)
	FRANCOIS MANSART, architect in FRANCE 1635 - ORLEANS WING of the CHATEAU de BLOIS (not completed) introduction of “mansard” roof CURVED GROUND FLOOR COLONNADES hint at Baroque. 1642 - MAISONS LAFITTE near Paris restrained masterpiece w/ OVAL ROOMS 1645 - VAL-DE-GRACE Paris LARGE SCROLLS on facade, to celebrate imminent birth of Louis XIV.
	LOUIS Le VAU, architect in FRANCE (more Baroque than Mansart) 1657 - VAUX-le-VICOMTE 1661 - GALERIE d’APOLLON in the LOUVRE 1662 - COLEGE des QUATRE NATIONS (Institut de France) 1669 - VERSAILLES
	JULES HARDOUIN-MANSART, architect in FRANCE 1678 - GALERIE des GLACES @ VERSAILLES 1680 - SAINT LOUIS des INVALIDES 1685 - GRAND TRIANON 1698 - PLACE VENDOME
	ANGE-JACQUES GABRIEL 1762 - PETIT TRIANON

King was leading patron of heroic landscapes w/ prominent people in the guise of mythology 1594 - POUISSON 1600 -  CLAUDE (LORRAINE???) 1659 - RIGAU

	Fashions French palaces & parks became European fashion as did French language, customs & courtly manners. Opera & ballet were popular passtimes of the upper classes. Fashion: allongewhig & culotte (breeches)… even in the colonial outposts (Americas). The “gallant cavalier” (polished gentleman) was the ideal of the day
	Structure Class structure was based on “estates”. Clergy & nobility were privileged: ownership of land, exemption from taxation, special judicial status. Bourgeoisie was able to advance into the nobility through purchase of offices (noblesse de la robe). Petits bourgeoisie & peasants shouldered the economic burden of the state: HIGH TAXES.

to the top

credits:  Prepared in part by Julie Myers in 1998.

Go On to Part 2