BOFFRAND, Germain

Around 1700, there was a wave of construction in Paris. The Faubourg Saint-Germain neighbourhood was being endowed with luxurious residences, including the H�tel Amelot de Gournay on rue Saint-Dominique by Germain Boffrand. This h�tel is particularly noteworthy for the entrance gate, the oval courtyard and its pilastered fa�ade, and the garden. The skilful arrangements made it possible to give monumentality to a building constrained by the narrowness of the plot. On rue de Grenelle, meanwhile, Lassurance built the H�tel Rothelin (now a ministry) and Cotte, the H�tel d’Estr�es (now an embassy).

The photo shows the fa�ade overlooking main courtyard.

View the ground plan of the building.

Around 1700, there was a wave of construction in Paris. The Faubourg Saint-Germain neighbourhood was being endowed with luxurious residences, including the H�tel Amelot de Gournay on rue Saint-Dominique by Germain Boffrand. This h�tel is particularly noteworthy for the entrance gate, the oval courtyard and its pilastered fa�ade, and the garden. The skilful arrangements made it possible to give monumentality to a building constrained by the narrowness of the plot. On rue de Grenelle, meanwhile, Lassurance built the H�tel Rothelin (now a ministry) and Cotte, the H�tel d’Estr�es (now an embassy).

The photo shows the garden.

Around 1700, there was a wave of construction in Paris. The Faubourg Saint-Germain neighbourhood was being endowed with luxurious residences, including the H�tel Amelot de Gournay on rue Saint-Dominique by Germain Boffrand. This h�tel is particularly noteworthy for the entrance gate, the oval courtyard and its pilastered fa�ade, and the garden. The skilful arrangements made it possible to give monumentality to a building constrained by the narrowness of the plot. On rue de Grenelle, meanwhile, Lassurance built the H�tel Rothelin (now a ministry) and Cotte, the H�tel d’Estr�es (now an embassy).

The photo shows the entrance gate.

Around 1700, there was a wave of construction in Paris. The Faubourg Saint-Germain neighbourhood was being endowed with luxurious residences, including the H�tel Amelot de Gournay on rue Saint-Dominique by Germain Boffrand. This h�tel is particularly noteworthy for the entrance gate, the oval courtyard and its pilastered fa�ade, and the garden. The skilful arrangements made it possible to give monumentality to a building constrained by the narrowness of the plot. On rue de Grenelle, meanwhile, Lassurance built the H�tel Rothelin (now a ministry) and Cotte, the H�tel d’Estr�es (now an embassy).

The photo shows the pilastered fa�ade.

View the ground plan of the building.

In Lun�ville, where Mansart had worked on several occasions, the old château was rebuilt in 1703 by Boffrand, then completely renovated, partly under his own supervision, starting in 1719. It featured an immense courtyard formed by wings flanking a central pavilion, with a portico pierced by three ground level arches, and boasted the usual virtuoso elements like a grand staircase and chapel.

The photo shows the château and courtyard.

In the first half of the eighteenth century, interior decoration of apartments in Paris was a considerable part of architecture, resulting in the neglect of exterior decoration. Private residences and public buildings displayed conventionalised exteriors: rusticated quoin-work, windows with decorative keystones, slightly curving forms. Interior decoration, in contrast, underwent rapid change imposed by the tyranny of fashion.

The fashion accentuated the role of furniture and objects. Colour and light reigned. Wainscoting was often painted in light green, so fashionable in mid-century. Subsequently, white and gold came increasingly into favour, as seen in the princess’s apartment (Salon Ovale de la Princesse) at the H�tel de Soubise (designed by Boffrand).

In 1732, the prince de Rohan was married and he decided to give a fresh, modern decorative appearance to the residence, built a quarter of a century earlier by Pierre-Alexis Delamair. He commissioned Germain Boffrand to design a new room, which became known as the Salon Ovale de la Princesse.

The photo shows the decoration in the Salon Ovale de la Princesse. Its elegance stems from the alternation of rounded panels with mirrors, topped by eight canvases by Charles-Joseph Natoire (The Story of Psyche) set in curvilinear frames. The walls are crowned by an undulating, carved and gilded cornice tied to the vault ribbing, creating a feast for the senses and a masterpiece of Rococo taste.

In the first half of the eighteenth century, interior decoration of apartments in Paris was a considerable part of architecture, resulting in the neglect of exterior decoration. Private residences and public buildings displayed conventionalised exteriors: rusticated quoin-work, windows with decorative keystones, slightly curving forms. Interior decoration, in contrast, underwent rapid change imposed by the tyranny of fashion.

The fashion accentuated the role of furniture and objects. Colour and light reigned. Wainscoting was often painted in light green, so fashionable in mid-century. Subsequently, white and gold came increasingly into favour, as seen in the princess’s apartment (Salon Ovale de la Princesse) at the H�tel de Soubise (designed by Boffrand).

In 1732, the prince de Rohan was married and he decided to give a fresh, modern decorative appearance to the residence, built a quarter of a century earlier by Pierre-Alexis Delamair. He commissioned Germain Boffrand to design a new room, which became known as the Salon Ovale de la Princesse.

The photo shows the decoration in the Salon Ovale de la Princesse. Its elegance stems from the alternation of rounded panels with mirrors, topped by eight canvases by Charles-Joseph Natoire (The Story of Psyche) set in curvilinear frames. The walls are crowned by an undulating, carved and gilded cornice tied to the vault ribbing, creating a feast for the senses and a masterpiece of Rococo taste.

In the first half of the eighteenth century, interior decoration of apartments in Paris was a considerable part of architecture, resulting in the neglect of exterior decoration. Private residences and public buildings displayed conventionalised exteriors: rusticated quoin-work, windows with decorative keystones, slightly curving forms. Interior decoration, in contrast, underwent rapid change imposed by the tyranny of fashion.

The fashion accentuated the role of furniture and objects. Colour and light reigned. Wainscoting was often painted in light green, so fashionable in mid-century. Subsequently, white and gold came increasingly into favour, as seen in the princess’s apartment (Salon Ovale de la Princesse) at the H�tel de Soubise (designed by Boffrand).

In 1732, the prince de Rohan was married and he decided to give a fresh, modern decorative appearance to the residence, built a quarter of a century earlier by Pierre-Alexis Delamair. He commissioned Germain Boffrand to design a new room, which became known as the Salon Ovale de la Princesse.

The photo shows the decoration in the Salon Ovale de la Princesse. Its elegance stems from the alternation of rounded panels with mirrors, topped by eight canvases by Charles-Joseph Natoire (The Story of Psyche) set in curvilinear frames. The walls are crowned by an undulating, carved and gilded cornice tied to the vault ribbing, creating a feast for the senses and a masterpiece of Rococo taste.

In the first half of the eighteenth century, interior decoration of apartments in Paris was a considerable part of architecture, resulting in the neglect of exterior decoration. Private residences and public buildings displayed conventionalised exteriors: rusticated quoin-work, windows with decorative keystones, slightly curving forms. Interior decoration, in contrast, underwent rapid change imposed by the tyranny of fashion.

The fashion accentuated the role of furniture and objects. Colour and light reigned. Wainscoting was often painted in light green, so fashionable in mid-century. Subsequently, white and gold came increasingly into favour, as seen in the princess’s apartment (Salon Ovale de la Princesse) at the H�tel de Soubise (designed by Boffrand).

In 1732, the prince de Rohan was married and he decided to give a fresh, modern decorative appearance to the residence, built a quarter of a century earlier by Pierre-Alexis Delamair. He commissioned Germain Boffrand to design a new room, which became known as the Salon Ovale de la Princesse.

The photo shows the decoration in the Salon Ovale de la Princesse. Its elegance stems from the alternation of rounded panels with mirrors, topped by eight canvases by Charles-Joseph Natoire (The Story of Psyche) set in curvilinear frames. The walls are crowned by an undulating, carved and gilded cornice tied to the vault ribbing, creating a feast for the senses and a masterpiece of Rococo taste.