File:French architects and sculptors of the XVIIIth century (1900) (14764660525).jpg

Identifier: frencharchitects00dilk (find matches)
Title: French architects and sculptors of the XVIIIth century
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors: Dilke, Emilia Francis Strong, Lady, 1840-1904
Subjects: Architects Sculpture, French Sculptors
Publisher: London, G. Bell and sons
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

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gies du gout, a toutes les exigences de la vie, formant en un motlarchitecture francaise, cest a dire larchitecture moderne habile-ment deduite de larchitecture antique. 4 The decorations on thefront and sides of these buildings are of elegance as superb asthose of the Ecole Militaire, and show that exquisite sense of thevalue of flat spaces in giving relief and balance to elaborate orna-ment, of which Gabriel had the happiest sentiment. This it isthat we recognize, alike in the elegance of the Petit Trianon, inthe magnificence of the Salle de lOpera, and in the admirablefinish of the decorations carried out at Versailles and elsewhere 1 Destroyed 11 August, 1792; Mem. Wille, t. ii., p. 354. 2 Bachaumont, 31 May, 1770. 3 In the second building is the Hotel Coislin. The opposite portion facing theGarde-meuble was the Hotel du due dAumont. Cab. du due dAumont, p. iv,note. See also de Champeaux, LArt decoratif dans Vieux Paris, p. 289, et seq. 4 Les Arts et llndustrie, t. i., p. 137. 3°
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under his rule, but questions regarding the style and character of Jacques-interior decoration must be reserved for discussion in another Q^^elvolume, wholly devoted to the art of those men who formed that and hisbrilliant band of decorative craftsmen who touched with beauty Succes-the humblest detail of the work entrusted to them. To the archi- sors*ted:, nevertheless, was due the perfection of the schemes placed intheir hands ; his choice determined the distinctive character of thesucceeding phases of decoration which may be traced as we passfrom the rule of Robert de Cotte to the reign of Gabriel ; or, if we turn from the more sober triumphs of Gabriels direction to the ors varies and somewhat emasculate elegance of Richard Mique.1 When Gabriel resigned his post of First Architect to the kingin 1775,2 being then seventy-six years old, he was replaced, at thequeens request, by Richard Mique,3 who had already been named,at some date previous to 1774, intendant et controleur generalof t

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