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The Petit Trianon (; French for "small Trianon") is a
Neoclassical style
château
A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions.
Now ...
located on the grounds of the
Palace of Versailles in
Versailles
The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
, France. It was built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of King
Louis XV of France
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reache ...
. The Petit Trianon was constructed within the park of a larger royal retreat known as the
Grand Trianon
The Grand Trianon () is a French Baroque style château situated in the northwestern part of the Domain of Versailles in Versailles, France. It was built at the request of King Louis XIV of France as a retreat for himself and his '' maîtresse- ...
.
Design and construction
The Petit Trianon was built on the site of a
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
developed around a decade earlier by Louis XV, within the grounds of the Grand Trianon,
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 Ver ...
's retreat from the Palace of Versailles to the southeast. It was designed by
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 V ...
by order of Louis XV for his long-term mistress,
Madame de Pompadour, and was constructed between 1762 and 1768.
Madame de Pompadour died four years before its completion, and the Petit Trianon was subsequently occupied by her successor,
Madame du Barry. Upon his accession to the throne in 1774, the 20-year-old
Louis XVI
Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...
gave the château and its surrounding park to his 19-year-old Queen
Marie Antoinette for her exclusive use and enjoyment.
The Petit Trianon is an example of the transition from the
Rococo
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
style of the earlier part of the 18th century to the
Neoclassical style of the 1760s and onward. It attracts interest in its four
facades, each designed according to that part of the estate it would face. The
Corinthian order predominates, with two freestanding and two engaged columns on the side of the formal French garden, and
pilasters
In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall ...
facing both the courtyard and the area once occupied by Louis XV's greenhouses. Overlooking the former botanical garden of the king, the remaining façade was left bare.
Marie Antoinette would visit the Petit Trianon to escape the formality of court life and to rest from her royal responsibilities. Since all were ''de par la Reine'' (by order of the Queen), none were permitted to enter the property without the Queen's permission. Only the Queen's "inner circle" (including the
princesse de Lamballe Princesse (French 'princess') may refer to:
*"Princesse", single hit for Julie Zenatti
* Princesse (Nekfeu song)
* La Princesse 15-metre (50-foot) mechanical spider designed and operated by French performance art company La Machine.
See also
* P ...
and
Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac
Yolande Martine Gabrielle de Polastron, Duchess of Polignac (8 September 17499 December 1793) was the favourite of Marie Antoinette, whom she first met when she was presented at the Palace of Versailles in 1775, the year after Marie Antoinette be ...
) were invited, which alienated the court nobility.
The building was designed to require as little interaction between guests and servants as possible. To that end, the table in the ''salles à manger'' was conceived to be mobile, mechanically lowered and raised through the floorboards so that the servants below could set places while remaining unseen. The tables were never built, but the delineation for the mechanical apparatus can still be seen from the foundation.
In the attic, a suite was constructed for Louis XV by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, consisting of antechamber, bedroom, and a private chamber. A staircase led from his private chamber down to the
mezzanine where Mme Du Barry resided. In Marie Antoinette's time, the attic apartment remained reserved for Louis XVI, though he never slept at the Petit Trianon. The private staircase of Louis XV was removed, allowing a library to be constructed by
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 ...
. The mezzanine, which is above the Queen's apartment, was reserved for Marie Antoinette's lady-in-waiting and first lady-in-waiting.
Within the Queen's apartment, the décor of her boudoir features mirrored panels that, by the turning of a crank, can be raised or lowered to obscure the windows and reflect the candlelight. Her bedroom was provided with furniture from
Georges Jacob and
Jean Henri Riesener
Jean-Henri Riesener (german: Johann Heinrich Riesener; 4 July 1734 – 6 January 1806) was a famous German ''ébéniste'' (cabinetmaker), working in Paris, whose work exemplified the early neoclassical "Louis XVI style".
Life and career
Riesene ...
. Jacob designed a set of furniture for the room known as the ''Mobilier aux épis'', elaborately carved with flowers and garlands and upholstered in embroidered
Lyon
Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of t ...
silk. The wallpaper was painted by
Jean-Baptiste Pillement
Jean-Baptiste Pillement (Lyon, 24 May 1728 – Lyon, 26 April 1808) was a French painter and designer, known for his exquisite and delicate landscapes, but whose importance lies primarily in the engravings done after his drawings, and their infl ...
.
File:Petit Trianon - Façade ouest.jpg, West facade
File:Petit Trianon - Façade nord - 2.jpg, North facade
File:Petit Trianon - Façade est.jpg, East facade
File:Petit Trianon, Versailles, 29 September 2012.jpg, South facade
French Revolution and Republic
On 5 October 1789,
Marie Antoinette was in the gardens of the Petit Trianon when a page brought news of the imminent arrival of an
armed crowd from Paris. With the enforced departure of the royal family the next day, the Petit Trianon was almost abandoned, except for the gardeners and other staff who continued to live there. Renovations that had been underway were interrupted, leaving large sums owed to builders. The former queen's gardener, Antoine Richard, was appointed as curator of the gardens and plant nursery in 1792 by the Minister of the Interior. After the final overthrow of the monarchy in July 1792, all of the furniture, art works and other valuables of the Petit Trianon were sent to auction, under a decree of the Convention dated 10 June 1793. The auction began on Sunday, 25 August 1793, and continued until 11 August 1794. The properties sold were widely scattered. Silverware, lead and brass fixtures were requisitioned for use in the arsenals. The sculptor Amable Boichard was appointed in April 1794 to remove "emblems of royalty and feudalism" from the property.
Under the new Republic, the Petit Trianon underwent a number of changes. Declared national property, the land was divided into ten lots. The City of Versailles proposed that a botanical garden be established, but this plan was never adopted. In 1796, the land was leased to a tavern. By 1801, the use of the grounds for dances and festivals led to neglect and vandalism. The buildings of the hamlet were reported to be dilapidated. Some improvements in the layout of the gardens were subsequently made, and a school located in part of the complex.
Napoleonic period
After some years of semi-neglect, the Petit Trianon resumed its traditional role when the new emperor,
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 ...
, granted the use of the building to his sister
Pauline. Extensive refurbishing of roofs, piping, floors and chimneys were carried out. Main rooms were repainted, and mirrors installed to replace those sold or vandalized. Finally, paintings were hung and a bridge ''de la Réunion'' constructed to link open areas across a hollow road.
Derivative buildings
United States
Nemours Estate
The Nemours Estate is a country estate with '' jardin à la française'' formal gardens and a French neoclassical mansion in Wilmington, Delaware. Built to resemble a French château, its 105 rooms on four floors occupy nearly . It shares the gr ...
mansion and gardens, in Wilmington, Delaware, is the largest formal French garden in America. It was built between 1909 and 1935, and was inspired and largely based on the Petit Trianon.
*Belmar (1937) is an exact replica of the Petit Trianon, designed by Colorado architect
Jacques Benedict
Jules Jacques Benois Benedict (April 22, 1879 – January 16, 1948) was one of the most prominent architects in Colorado history, whose works include a number of well-known landmarks and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Place ...
for
May Bonfils Stanton
Mary Madeline "May" Bonfils Stanton (April 30, 1883 – March 11, 1962) was an American heiress and philanthropist. She and her younger sister, Helen Bonfils, succeeded their father, Frederick Gilmer Bonfils, as principal owners of ''The Denver P ...
in
Lakewood, Colorado
The City of Lakewood is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 155,984 at the 2020 U.S. Census making Lakewood the fifth most populous city in Col ...
.
*City Hall (1916) in
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire (; ) (French for "clear water") is a city mostly located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat, and with a small portion in Chippewa County, Wisconsin. It had a population of 69,421 in 2020, making it the stat ...
as designed by
George Awsumb
George Awsumb (20 July 1880 – 24 November 1959) was a prominent Norwegian-American architect in the first half of the 20th century. Awsumb defined architecture as “frozen music” designed for the “man on the street.” He was influenced by ...
is inspired by Petit Trianon, though not a complete copy.
*
Marble House
Marble House, a Gilded Age mansion located at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, was built from 1888 to 1892 as a summer cottage for Alva and William Kissam Vanderbilt and was designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the Beaux Arts style ...
(1888–1892), a
Gilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Wes ...
mansion in
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New Yor ...
, is directly inspired by the Petit Trianon.
*
Kentucky Governor's Mansion
The Kentucky Governor's Mansion is a historic residence in Frankfort, Kentucky. It is located at the East lawn of the Capitol, at the end of Capital Avenue. On February 1, 1972, it was added to the United States National Register of Historic ...
(1912) is inspired by the Petit Trianon.
*
Koshland House (1904) in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, California as designed by Franklin S. Van Trees was modeled after the Petit Trianon.
*A concert hall in
San Jose,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, which carries the nam
"The Petit Trianon,"is a copy.
*Byers Hall (1903) at
Yale University
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, is an adaptation of the design by architects
Hiss and Weekes
Hiss and Weekes was a notable architectural firm in New York City that was active from 1899 to 1933 and constructed a number of landmark buildings of Beaux-Arts architecture.
Run by Philip Hiss and H. Hobart Weekes, the firm was known primarily fo ...
.
*Northway (1908), also known as Petit Trianon Deux, an estate in
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich (, ) is a town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast, Greenwich is home to many hedge funds and other ...
, built by an heir to the Goodyear Tires fortune.
*
The International Museum of Surgical Science (1917) in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, Illinois is a replica of Le Petit Trianon except it has an additional floor.
Elsewhere
* Called ''Petit Trianon'', the building housing the
Academia Brasileira de Letras in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
is based on the design. It was built by 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 i ...
and donated to the Academia de Letras.
* Sabet Pasal Mansion, the home of an Iranian pre-revolution entrepreneurial family, built in northern Tehran.
* The Cantacuzino Palace in
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
, near
Florești, also known as ''Petit Trianon'' (''Micul Trianon''), is based on the layout of the French palace.
See also
*
Hameau de la Reine
The Hameau de la Reine (, ''The Queen's Hamlet'') is a rustic retreat in the park of the Château de Versailles built for Marie Antoinette in 1783 near the Petit Trianon in Yvelines, France. It served as a private meeting place for the Queen and ...
*
Maison de plaisance
In Renaissance and Early Modern German architecture, a ''Lustschloss'' (french: maison de plaisance, both equating in English to "pleasure castle/house") is a small country house or palace which served the private pleasure of its owner, usual ...
*
Moberly–Jourdain incident
*
*
Subsidiary structures of the Palace of Versailles
References
Further reading
*Arizzoli-Clémentel, Pierre. ''Views and Plans of the Petit Trianon''. Paris: Alain de Gourcuff Éditeur, 1998. Print
External links
*
Ancient Places TV: HD Video of The Queen's Hamlet at the Petit Trianon
{{Authority control
Houses completed in 1768
Palace of Versailles
1768 establishments in France
Royal residences in France