| PART II: * Expanded
Outline - EXPRESSIONS of ABSOLUTISM in the LANDSCAPE
1638 - LOUIS XIV born, son of Louis XIII & Anne of Austria
1642 – Became king @ 5 yrs. old (reigned until 1715)
Of delicate figure, courteous & restrained, yet majestic in bearing,
Louis XIV was pervaded by the dignity of his office & compelled to
increase & represent the glory of the state.
1613 - ANDRE Le NOTRE born, son of Jean le Notre, head gardener of the
Tuileries in Paris
1637 - succeeded father at Tuileries
JEAN le NOTRE worked under CLAUDE MOLLET (Madame Mollett: godmother to
Andre)
Andre learned horticulture from father w/ influence of Mollet
Studied ART in studios of SIMON VOUET & LeBRUN, painters for
the royal court
PRECURSORS/ PRECEDENTS
MONCEAUX-EN-BRIE near Meaux, east of Paris
1550 - Primaticcio, architect/ landscape design for Catherine dei Medici
The existing house was razed & a new chateau constructed
astride the hill, placing the main axis of the gardens PARALLEL to the
slope
Open, axial organization integrates the forecourt, the chateau terrace,
and the 2 gardens nearly equally divided on separate levels
Its advanced design implies a strong liaison with contemporary Italian
landscape garden theory & practice (doubtful that either de
l'Orme or de Brosse were involved) Today, one can still stand on the
upper terrace & experience the dramatic sweep of the strong axial
line running across the 2 flat levels below.
The resulting VISTA lead the eye toward the distant landscape &
horixon
Flanking avenues & groves foreshadowed French gardens of the next
century, the herald of Vaux & Versailles
CHATEAU de RICHELIEU @ Reuil, 5 miles west of Paris
1635 - Jacques LeMercier, architect/landscape planner
w/ Jean Thiriot, landscape gardener
Though the chateau was modest, the gardens were a profusion of grottos,
incredible fountains, & water architecture of basins & canals
Grotto - a large & rare extravagance of elaborate "shell-work
in the shape of satyrs & wilde fancies" (John Evelyn)
Cascade - (artificial) tumbling down a steep incline &...
"over marble steps & basins w/ astonishing noyse & fury;
each basin hath a jetto in it, flowing like sheetes of transparent
glasse, especially that which rises over the greate shell of lead, from
whence it glides silently downe a channell thro' the middle of a
spacious gravel walke terminating in a grotto" (Sieveking, William
Temple Upon Gardens in The French Garden, W.H. Adams)
It is this chateau which bridges the gap between Monceaux &
Vaux-le-Vicomte:
the T-shape of Versailles is recognizable
3 roads converge, as a "patte d'oie", on a circular space
300 feet diameter
centered entrance opened onto a base court 325 feet wide x 355
feet long, marked by 4 pavilions
screen walls separated the stabling to either side
ante-court 250 feet wide x 300 feet long, separated from the base
court by only a low wall & surrounded by servant quarters
broad walkway, 35 feet wide, ran between the chateau & the
ante-court & continued for 1 mile to the new town
(designed by LeMercier: symmetrical, rectangular, enclosed by moat
& walls, avenues lined w/ splendid plane trees...
"No description can convey the old-world charm of this
delightful little town... it is unique, a page of the 17th
century preserved to us intact, & more suggestive of the
spirit & purpose of the architecture of the time of
Richelieu than any other building" - Blomfield)
a bridge crossed the moat to the chateau, built on a platform or
"fausse-braye" entirely surrounded by water
chateau sat askew on its foundation (perhaps to fit older
foundations)
parterres are emphasized & enframed by avenues & groves of
trees
the stem of the "T" is extended as an avenue dividing the
surrounding park
It is believed likely that Le Notre worked in these environs as a
young man.
VAUX-LE-VICOMTE near Melun, between Paris (SE of Paris) &
Fountainbleau
1656 - Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister decided to build the most
magnificent country residence
hired Le Vau, Le Brun & Le Notre to design a chateau worthy of
his lofty social status on virgin ground (three villages purchased
& destroyed to make way, no necessity of adapting to existing
structures)
1661 – completed for a fete for Louis XIV
a personal disaster for Fouquet: king became suspicious upon seeing
Vaux of Fouqueet’s handling of the state finances & had him
arrested within days. Spent life in prison (died in 1680).
(Colbert, his rival, succeeded Fouquet as finance minister:
developed 1st national economy of the modern age)
SIMPLE PLAN: 1 dominant sight-line central to entire scheme w/ several
secondary sight-lines crossing & lying perpendicular to the
central one
a. APPROACH: straight, poplar-lined highway from Melun
Large semi-circular clearing in woods: to SOUTH a long grille of
wrought iron w/ stone posts
Chateau & forecourts lie backed by sun
From entry gates, everything seen is balanced on the sight-line
running from the gates to the main NORTH portal of the chateau
b. FORECOURT through gates: 4 turf panels bordered & crosses by
gravel drives
intersected by east-west sight-line leading to handsome
brick/stone service buildings each w/ an interior courtyard space,
screened toward forecourt w/ brick/stone walls extending northward
to long grille facing highway, as well as southward toward the
chateau
c. ARCADES one above each corner of the stone-walled MOAT at
southern edge of forecourt
STEPS: through arcade (east or west), turning immediately south
toward outer edge of moat leading to parterres backed by bosquets
Parterres lie to east & west of Arrival court: Le Cour
d’Honneur
PARTERRE on east is twice as wide as west parterre: plan
apparently bilaterally symmetrical, but not actually
From this site below both forecourt & arrival court, nearer
the moat’s surface, chateau reaches skyward w/ theatrical
prominence…
d. BRIDGE: elaborately terraced w/ widening STEPS from main south
portal across moat & down to ground level
Garden spreads to south bounded by dark foliage of heavy BOSQUETS
fronted by tall HEDGING (solid barrier from ground upward)
Entire magnificent prospect is revealed: one tremendous space of 4
integrated parts assembled along a dominant central sight-line
(a view perhaps too inclusive, even oppressive, which overwhelms
& impresses rather than charms)
“HEIGHTENING of INTEREST by ACCENTUATION of the SLIGHTEST DIFFERENCE in
GRADE in a fundamentally FLAT COUNTRYSIDE”
e. UPPER GARDEN of highly ornate parterres comprised of 3 DISTINCT
PORTIONS
1st SECONDARY SIGHT-LINE crossing main axis: long gravel TERRACE
at foot of bridge & steps overlooks all 3 portions &
extends east & west into bosquets a short distance
2 tiers of WIDE CENTRAL STEPS lead down from terrace into middle
portion of upper parterres
1. middle portion: 2 parterres in brilliant red gravel, emerald
turf, dark green hedging
at south end, directly on central sight-line, is LOW CIRCULAR
POOL w/ single elegant jet
at pool another, stronger 2nd SECONDARY SIGHT-LINE: a wide
gravel walk extends east & west far into bosquets
2. western portion: somewhat “quieter”, mainly in turf
3. eastern portion: wider than others w/ turf panels &
fanciful gilt fountain “La Couronne”
3 DISTINCT LEVELS descending from west to east, but noticeable
only at joining steps
differences are too slight & transitions too subtle to be
perceived over a long distance
Immediately beyond the pool in the middle portion, 2 tiers of
wide central steps descend to…
f. Le PETIT CANAL & MAIN GARDENS @ slightly lower level, huge
w/ less intricate parterres
Lower level is twice as long as upper level
1. Steps end between 2 long, still POOLS of the small canal
running east & west
2. Large TURF PANELS w/ 2 inset OVAL POOLS flank central
walkway
3. A SQUARE POOL to south between the panels, centered on main
axis
4. Le CONFESSIONAL: Opposite the square pool, tucked into
eastern bosquet, this structure provides an overlook
Its diagonal view northwest toward the chateau allowing a
comprehensive survey of garden’s rich detail
FATAL FLAW: the slicing gravel walkway on the central
sight-line, is less obvious from Le Confessional
Descent from Le Confessional by RAMPS & STEPS lead to the
only surprise…
g. Le GRANDE CANAL lying across the central sight-line
1. Les CASCADES on north side of canal, hidden from view
A row of fountains w/ a basin concealed by the drop in grade
& facing the east/west canal
2. To east, canal becomes large CIRCULAR stone-walled POOL (sham
naval battles were held here)
3.Les GROTTES on opposite (south) side of canal act as a sort
of focal TERMINUS
4. In front of arcaded “Les Grottes,” canal widens into
SQUARE POOL surrounded by series of low rectilinear terraces
Above this, reached by RAMPS or STEPS, is the…
h. long, grassy ALLEE ascending over the hill into the unseen
distance
lined by double rows of trees w/ dense bosquets behind framing a
long directional space w/ no apparent terminus
(implication that ownership/domain extends far beyond actual
property, symbolic claiming of all)
SIGNIFICANCE of VAUX-le-VICOMTE
a. HORIZONTALITY is outstanding: flat planes of land & even
“flatter” mirror-like water
Sense of uncompromising vigor & firmness, serenity achieved
through absolute order (political/aesthetic)
b. Expression of "Baroque" colors in the landscape
suggesting/reflecting directions in art & interiors
COLOR: warm pink gravel walks, blue sky reflected in pools,
red & emerald green parterres w/ deeper blue-green hedging,
white marble statues contrasting against dark masses of green &
purple of bosquets
c. The chateau & its landscape are a great monument to the
talent of LeNotre & his best creation
Smaller, but technically superior to Versailles, a little jewel...
an exquisite example of human handiwork, delicate in detail, an air
of aristocratic restraint, more imtimate & domestic in spirit
than Versailles
…a gay theatrical backdrop to spectacles of aristocratic amusement
“A SUPERB EXAMPLE of FRENCH LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE at its
PINNACLE…” - Newton
Louis XIV was deeply impressed by the work of the collaborative team
& ordered them to undertake Versailles
VERSAILLES... “L’ETAT C’EST MOI!”
The most widely recognized physical symbol of Le ROI SOLEIL, the great
“Sun King”
Symbol of the ABSOLUTIST STATE: luxuriously decorated, wasteful of
materials, uncomfortable
1624 – SALOMON de BROSSE, architect built brick/stone hunting lodge
beside wide, swampy tract for Louis XIII
BOYCEAU designed parterres
1661 – work on GROUNDS began & proceeded at a furious pace
labor of Swiss Guards was used (Piece des Suisses named because of
this)
1668 - LOUIS XIV moved court from Paris to Versailles
more ample housing was required & gardens were overpowering the
little hunting lodge
Louis XIV insisted that the original hunting lodge remain intact as
the center of the palace
Herein lay the king’s bedroom, the chambre du roi, the center of
the entire complex & the empire
Audience with the king in his private chamber was the ultimate
honor for a courtier
1669 – LE VAU, architect began remodelling of Versailles
(due to alterations & extensions by HARDOUIN-MANSART, nothing
survives of interiors done w/ LeBrun)
1670 – main elements of gardens were in place
1685 – as seen today, including final revisions of Parterre d'Eau
Changes continued throughout the king’s reign, but not affected
the basic structure of the garden plan
SIMPLE PLAN:
LONG SIGHT-LINES:
a. DOMINANT SIGHT-LINE: from center of chateau to
“infinity” eastward & westward (sunrise/sunset)
b. SUBORDINATE SIGHT-LINE: perpendicular to dominant
sight-line & parallel to west façade of chateau, crossing atop
1st terrace west of chateau & extending northward &
southward
a. DOMINANT SIGHT-LINE
1. APPROACH: from east one views the vast, unrelieved space of the
PLACE d’ARMES where 3 avenues converge
COACH HOUSES/STABLES capacity: 2500 horses & corresponding
carriages
series of smaller courts separated by low stone balustrades
& open wrought-iron fences
AXIS of the CENTRAL SIGHT-LINE is obvious, but space is so large
as to be nearly formless
Seemingly continuous open space leads to the final intimate
court directly below the king’s bedroom
2. 1st TERRACE lies just WEST of the chateau, snug against its façade:
a narrow band bordered by steps of 5 wide treads
The SUBORDINATE NORTH-SOUTH SIGHT-LINE of the plan lies along
this terrace
3. PARTERRE d’ EAU: directly in front of 1st terrace &
sweeping to north & south of palace’s main block
constructed on fill (interior Orangerie underneath on south
side)
2 low-coped BASINS of flat, still water emphasize immensity of
the parterre
At west edge of the parterre one sees the famous & IMPOSING
VIEW across the Fountain & Parterre of Latona, down the Tapis
Vert to the Basin of Apollo, farther to the Grand Canal &
beyond to the setting sun on the remote horizon.
4. PARTERRE & FOUNTAIN of LATONA: pivotal point of connection
between Parterre d’Eau above & Tapis Vert below
a. fountain: 4-tiers w/ statue of goddess atop: an elaborate
display of gushing water on days of les grandes eaux
b. wide CENTRAL STEPS, narrow SIDE STEPS, or RAMPS along
periphery allow descent from Parterre de Latona to…
5. TAPIS VERT (“green carpet”)
a. Broad central panel of turf sloping gently toward west along
main sight-line from Parterre de Latona
A narrow, architectonic corridor formed by deep green bosquets
b. bosquets' masses are solidified by high clipped hedge fronted
by row of low trees & punctuated by marble sculptures @
regular intervals
c. Gravel walks bound edges of the turf panel, setting it apart
from dense enframing foliage
Sight-line & Circulation do not coincide, sight-line retains
its purity & integrity
Siting of the walks to the sides of the central axis prevents
vista from being sliced as at Vaux-le-Vicomte
6. BASSIN d’ APOLLON
a. a large open space is formed as bosquets retreat at west end
of Tapis Vert
b. on days of les grandes eaux, the basin forms a
convincing terminus to central sight-line
Statue in center of fountain: Apollo on chariot drawn by 4
horses, led by 3 trumpeters riding dolphins punctuates the
endless ribbon of the GRAND CANAL w/ spouting water in high
& low jets
From here, the Grand Canal runs without destination, seeminly
pointless unless seen when reflecting the colors of a magnificent
sunset.
b. SECONDARY SIGHT-LINE
1. 3 major areas lie toward SOUTH:
A. PARTERRE du MIDI
Accessed from south edge of Parterre d’Eau by wide stair of
three steps centered between panels
Broad expanse of 2 colorful panels (hedging & flowers) w/
2 low CIRCULAR POOLS
Wide walkways of pinkish gravel
Descending down 2 tremendous flights of steps to…
B. JARDIN d’ORANGERIE
to south of Orangerie (under Parterre du Midi)
contains a large, flat CIRCULAR POOL & TREES in TUBS
(oranges, lemons, palms)
ramps lead to…
C. PIECE des SUISSES
a huge, placid & rather formless pond
Bernini’s equestrian statue of Louis XIV at far southern end
against dark green backdrop of bosquet
2. 4 major areas lie toward NORTH:
A. PARTERRE du NORD
Balances Parterre du Midi, but its 2 CIRCULAR POOLS are not
centered, instead they lie slightly to north
Le PIRAMID lies centered between pools even a bit farther
north, somewhat blocking secondary sight-line
B. ALLEE d’EAU (or Allee des Marmousets)
Sight-line descends down a central walkway flanked by 2 long,
narrow turf panels within a sloping linear space carved
through the bosquets
Small fountains, widely spaced, punctuate the panels: a round
pool w/ statues of cherubs holding saucer-shaped basins
w/small central jets
C. BASIN of the DRAGON
CIRCULAR POOL w/ half-submerged bronze dragon @ center
surrounded by dolphins & swans ridden by Cupids w/ bows
& arrows
Dragon spouts high stream into the air while other creatures
spout smaller jets arching toward pool’s edge
D. BASSIN de NEPTUN
Broad pool of tripartite CURVES (pretentious shape) at lower
level than Basin of the Dragon
Edged by a row of numerous VASES
Attention focuses on several bronze sculptural groupings
Jets rise from vases forming a wide, white shimmering screen
w/arching sprays from sculptures
“The works thus assembled on the two principal sight-lines are
impressive with the almost unbelievable grandeur and posturing of
Versailles…” - Newton
c. THE BOSQUETS
The wooded areas referred to as “the bosquets” extend from
near the chateau to the Allee d’Apollo
1. Each divided into square-ish blocks by 2 pairs of allees: 1
east-west, 1 north-south
2. Low CIRCULAR BASINS mark each intersection
3. Within divisions, amusing features were sited (often
temporary) lending an air of whimsy, playfulness & frivolity
to overbearing seriousness & cool detachment of the overall
complex
QUINCUNX in blocks @ base of ramps around the Parterre of Latona:
5-way planting of trees
La COLONNADE survives, rich in fountains & sculpture
La SALLE du BAL, fanciful work in rocaille w/ jets & cascade
THEATRE d’EAU does not survive intact
Water tricks awaited unsuspecting revellers (ala Disney)
“The entire wooded area has undergone devastation and regrowth several
times… the remarkable truth is that on the whole the place has
succeeded well in conveying a sense of the spirit that must have
prevailed, a fabulous mixture of serious and frivolous, pompous pose and
impertinence.” - Newton
OTHERCONTRIBUTIONS OF LOUIS XIV
Place des Victoires
1685 - Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Place Vendome (Place Louis-Le-Grand)
1685 - Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Both of these public spaces were royal, residential squares, as had been
the Place Dauphine & the Place Royale... all were geometric forms.
However, the earlier were conceived as amenities for the people of Paris
& sound business ventures. The latter were intended as flattery
of the king & were beset by economic problems.
Neither of Henri IV's squares held statues, their focus was peripheral,
not central. Both were adjacent to, but not bisected by major
circulation routes. However, Louis XIV's spaces were settings for
focal statuary of the king, himself... and the statue in the Place
Victoire faced the hoteles, not the street. Surrounding facades were
repetitive & traffic hectic & distracting.
These simple factors totally destroyed the intent of the Place des
Victoires & doomed it to use as a traffic circle.
OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS OF Le NOTRE
1664 – Chateau de Chantilly
1675 – Fountainbleau
1678 - Laid out an approach to the west façade of the Tuileries… became
the CHAMPS-ELYSEES & PLACE de la CONCORDE (Place de Louis XV)
Updated 2/1/99
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