The Académie Royale d'Architecture (; en, "Royal Academy of Architecture") was a French

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...

founded in 1671. It had a leading role in influencing

architectural theory Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings ...

and education, not only in France, but throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

from the late 17th century to the mid-20th.Cleary 1996.

History

The Académie Royale d'Architecture was founded on December 30, 1671, by

Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...

, king of France under the impulsion of

Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...

. Its first director was the mathematician and engineer

François Blondel François Blondel ( June 1618 – 21 January 1686) was a soldier, engineer of fortifications, mathematician, diplomat, military and civil engineer and architect, called "the Great Blondel", to distinguish him in a dynasty of French architects. ...

(1618–1686), and the secretary was

André Félibien André Félibien (May 161911 June 1695), ''sieur des Avaux et de Javercy'', was a French chronicler of the arts and official court historian to Louis XIV of France. Biography Félibien was born at Chartres. At the age of fourteen he went to Pa ...

(1619 –1695). The academy was housed in the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the ''Venus de Milo''. A central l ...

for most of its existence, and included a school of architecture. Its members met weekly.

Jacques-François Blondel Jacques-François Blondel (8 January 1705 – 9 January 1774) was an 18th-century French architect and teacher. After running his own highly successful school of architecture for many years, he was appointed Professor of Architecture at the Acad ...

describes the academy quarters in his ''Architecture françoise'' of 1756. The main rooms were on the ground floor and included two lecture halls, one for meetings of the academy members on Mondays and mathematics lectures on Wednesdays (B3), and another for public lectures on architecture on Mondays (B4). There was also a large room for the display of architectural models (B5). The rooms for the secretary of the academy were in the mezzanine level, reached via the staircase. The academy quarters were temporarily roofed at the level of the main floor (''premier étage''), since much of the Louvre still lacked a roof at the level of the attic. The attic roof was finally added under

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

. File:Louvre - Plan au rez-de-chaussée - Architecture françoise Tome4 Livre6 Pl5 (Académie d'Architecture).jpg, Louvre ground-floor plan of 1754 showing the Académie rooms (yellow), located in the north wing (bottom) File:Louvre - Plan au rez-de-chaussée - Architecture françoise Tome4 Livre6 Pl5 (Académie d'Architecture, detail).jpg, Detail showing the Académie rooms File:Palais du Louvre on the map of Turgot 1739 - Kyoto U.jpg, The Louvre on the 1739

Turgot map of Paris The Turgot map of Paris (french: link=no, Plan de Turgot) is a highly accurate and detailed map of the city of Paris, France, as it existed in the 1730s. The map was commissioned by Parisian municipality chief Michel-Étienne Turgot, drawn up b ...

, showing the parts which remained unroofed The Académie d'Architecture was suppressed in 1793, but later revived and merged in 1816 into the

Académie des Beaux-Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

, together with the

Académie de Peinture et de Sculpture An academy ( Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy ...

(Academy of Painting and Sculpture, founded 1648) and the Académie de Musique (Academy of Music, founded in 1669). In addition, the traditions of the Académie d'Architecture were maintained and spread by the architecture section of the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...

up to 1968, when the

French government The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...

completely reorganized architectural education. The Académie des Beaux-Arts is now one of the five academies of the

Institut de France The (; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the Académie Française. It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute m ...

Design competitions

From 1720 to 1968, the Académie Royale d'Architecture and its successors held annual competitions for the

Grand Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

in architecture. The winner was typically required to study for several years at the

Académie de France in Rome The French Academy in Rome (french: Académie de France à Rome) is an Academy#French regional academies overseeing education, Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese gardens, Villa Borghese, on the Pincio (Pincian Hill) i ...

. In 1763

established less ambitious monthly competitions, which encouraged students to devote more time to their school work during their time in their supervisor's studios.

Members

The eight initial members were a professor and director, François Blondel; a secretary, André Félibien; and six architects:

Libéral Bruant Libéral Bruant (''ca'' 1635 – Paris, 22 November 1697), was a French architect best known as the designer of the Hôtel des Invalides, Paris, which is now dominated by the dome erected by Jules Hardouin Mansart, his collaborator in earlier st ...

Daniel Gittard Daniel Gittard (March 14, 1625 – December 15, 1686) was a French architect. Biography Daniel Gittard was born in Blandy-les-Tours. He died in Paris. In 1671, he became one of the first eight members of the Académie royale d'architecture ...

Antoine Lepautre Antoine Lepautre or Le Pautre (1621–1679) was a French architect and engraver. Born in Paris, he was the brother of the prolific and inventive designer-engraver Jean Lepautre. Antoine Lepautre has been called " "one of the most inventive archit ...

François Le Vau François Le Vau (1624 – 4 July 1676) was a French architect and a founding member of the Académie Royale d'Architecture (established in 1671). He is also known for being the youngest brother of the more famous French architect, Louis Le Vau ...

Pierre II Mignard Pierre II Mignard (20 February 1640 – 10 April 1725) was a French architect and painter. He was the son of painter Nicolas Mignard and the younger brother of Paul Mignard, a portrait painter. Biography Pierre II Mignard was born and died in Av ...

, and François d'Orbay. Subsequent edicts of the crown increased the membership. By 1793 there were 33 members, divided into two classes, plus a third consisting of correspondents living in the

French provinces The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until the National Constituent Assembly adopted a more uniform division into departments (''départements'') and districts in late 1789. The provinces continued to exist administratively until 21 ...

and in foreign countries. Later members included: *

Claude Perrault Claude Perrault (25 September 1613 – 9 October 1688) was a French physician and an amateur architect, best known for his participation in the design of the east façade of the Louvre in Paris.Jules Hardouin-Mansart Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Grand T ...

(1646–1708), elected member 1675 *

André Le Nôtre André Le Nôtre (; 12 March 1613 – 15 September 1700), originally rendered as André Le Nostre, was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France. He was the landscape architect who designed the gar ...

(1613–1700)), elected member 1681 *

Pierre Bullet Pierre Bullet (c. 1639 – 1716) was a French architect. He was one of the students of François Blondel. Among his works are the Château de Champs-sur-Marne, and Porte Saint-Martin The Porte Saint-Martin ( en, St. Martin Gate) is a Parisia ...

(1639–1716), elected member 1685 * Philippe de La Hire (1640–1718), elected member and professor 1687 *

Robert de Cotte Robert de Cotte (1656 – 15 July 1735) was a French architect-administrator, under whose design control of the royal buildings of France from 1699, the earliest notes presaging the Rococo style were introduced. First a pupil of Jules Hard ...

(1656–1735), elected member 1687, director 1687 or 1699 *

Antoine Desgodetz Antoine Babuty Desgodetz's (1653–1728) publication ''Les edifices antiques de Rome dessinés et mesurés très exactement'' (Paris 1682) provided detailed engravings of the monuments and antiquities of Rome to serve French artists and archit ...

(1653–1728), elected member 1698, second class 1699, first class 1718, and professor 1719 *

Jacques Gabriel Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...

(1667–1742), elected member 1699, director 1736 *

Ange-Jacques Gabriel Ange-Jacques Gabriel (23 October 1698 – 4 January 1782) was the principal architect of King Louis XV of France. His major works included the Place de la Concorde, the École Militaire, and the Petit Trianon and opera theater at the Palace of Ve ...

(1698–1782), elected member 1728, director 1743 *

(1705–1774), elected second-class member 1755, professor 1762 *

Antoine Matthieu Le Carpentier Antoine Matthieu Le Carpentier (15 July 1709 - 1773) was a French architect. Biography Antoine Matthieu Le Carpentier was born in Rouen, the son of a carpenter. He became a member of the Académie royale d'architecture in 1756. His students inc ...

(1709-1773), elected member 1756 *

Étienne-Louis Boullée Étienne-Louis Boullée (12 February 17284 February 1799) was a visionary French neoclassical architect whose work greatly influenced contemporary architects. Life Born in Paris, he studied under Jacques-François Blondel, Germain Boff ...

(1728–1799), elected second-class member 1762, promoted to first-class 1780 *

Claude-Nicolas Ledoux Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (21 March 1736 – 18 November 1806) was one of the earliest exponents of French Neoclassical architecture. He used his knowledge of architectural theory to design not only domestic architecture but also town planning; as ...

(1736–1806), elected second-class member 1773 *

Richard Mique Richard Mique () (18 September 1728 – 8 July 1794) was a neoclassical French architect born in Lorraine. He is most remembered for his picturesque hamlet, the ''Hameau de la Reine'' — not particularly characteristic of his working style — f ...

(1728–1794), elected member 1775, director 1783Le Bas 1840, p. 84; see also Lemonnie
vol. 8 (1924), pp. 321–323, 331–333

Documentation

From 1911 to 1929, the French

art historian Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...

Henry Lemonnier Joseph Henri Lemonnier (8 August 1842, Saint-Prix, Val-d'Oise, Saint-Prix - 17 May 1936, Paris) was a French art historian; the first to hold the chair of art history at the University of Paris, Sorbonne. Biography His father was André-Hipp ...

published the proceedings of the Academy in ten volumes with the title ''Procès-verbaux de l'Académie royale d'architecture 1671–1793'':
Vol. 1 (1671–1681)

Vol. 2 (1682–1696)

Vol. 3 (1697– 1711)

Vol. 4 (1712–1726)

Vol. 5 (1727–1743)

Vol. 6 (1744–1758)

Vol. 7 (1759–1767)

Vol. 8 (1768–1779)

Vol. 9 (1780–1793)

Vol. 10 (Table générale)

Notes

Bibliography

* Blondel, Jacques-François (1756). ''Architecture françoise'', vol. 4, book 6. Paris: Charles-Antoine Jombert
Copy
at Gallica

at Kyoto University Library. * Cleary, Richard (1996). "Paris, VI. Institutions, 2. Académie Royale d'Architecture", vol. 24, pp. 169–171, in ''

The Dictionary of Art ''Grove Art Online'' is the online edition of ''The Dictionary of Art'', often referred to as the ''Grove Dictionary of Art'', and part of Oxford Art Online, an internet gateway to online art reference publications of Oxford University Press, ...

'', 34 volumes, edited by Jane Turner. New York: Grove. . Also available a
Oxford Art Online
(subscription required). * Le Bas, Philippe, editor (1840). ''France. Dictionnaire encyclopédique'', volume 1 (A–Az). Paris: Didot Frères. See the articl
"Académie d'architecture", pp. 82–85
(at Google Books). * Lemonnier, Henry (

929 Year 929 ( CMXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * January 16 – Emir Abd-al-Rahman III of Córdoba proclaims himself caliph and create ...

. ''Procès-verbaux de l'académie royale d'architecture. Tome X: Table générale''. Paris: Armand Colin.
Copy
at Internet Archive. {{DEFAULTSORT:Academie Royale D'architecture

Architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...