Under the
Ancien Régime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for "ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
{{disambig ...
, the First Architect to the King (french: Premier Architecte du Roi) was the direct assistant to the general director of the building industries, arts and manufactures of France and, consequently, number 2 of the
Bâtiments du Roi, forming part of the
Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi.
Responsibilities
The Premier Architecte du Roi was, in theory, in charge of the works of
maîtrise d'œuvre on behalf of the building industries of King. Hence,
Ange-Jacques Gabriel was in charge of the design of the
Place de la Concorde chosen from the best ideas submitted to the contest by the participants.
But this position entailed especially important administrative responsibilities, in this capacity of master builder of the projects ordered by the ''Bâtiments du Roi'': it had the responsibilities of arranging the construction contracts for the contractors and the craftsmen, of supervising the management of supply stores (marbles, leads, etc.), of inspecting the building sites, of proceeding the reception of the works, etc.
Organization
The Premier architecte du Roi was assisted by general intendants and controllers, draughtsmen, a general inspector – all selected among the most distinguished architects, generally members of the
Académie royale d'architecture. Il was disposed also of accounting officers and clerks. It had the supervision of the stewardship of Water and Fontaines, charged since the 17th century by the family of Francine.
Chronological list of Premiers Architectes du Roi
* ? -1615:
Louis Métezeau
* 1639–1653:
Jacques Lemercier
Jacques Lemercier (c. 1585 in Pontoise – 13 January 1654 in Paris) was a French architect and engineer, one of the influential trio that included Louis Le Vau and François Mansart who formed the classicizing French Baroque manner, drawing ...
* 1653–1670:
Louis Le Vau
Louis Le Vau (1612 – 11 October 1670) was a French Baroque architect, who worked for Louis XIV of France. He was an architect that helped develop the French Classical style in the 17th Century.''Encyclopedia of World Biography''"Louis Le Vau", ...
* 1681–1708:
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 ...
* 1708–1734:
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 ...
* 1734–1742:
Jacques V Gabriel
* 1742–1775:
Ange-Jacques Gabriel
* 1775–1777:
Richard Mique
See also
*
Bâtiments du Roi
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:First Architect to the King
Ancien Régime French architecture
Offices in the Ancien Régime