Style Louis XVI
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Louis XVI style, also called ''Louis Seize'', is a style of architecture, furniture, decoration and art which developed in France during the 19-year reign of
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 ...
(1774–1793), just before the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. It saw the final phase of the
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style as well as the birth of French
Neoclassicism Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism) was a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassicism was ...
. The style was a reaction against the elaborate ornament of the preceding Baroque period. It was inspired in part by the discoveries of Ancient Roman paintings, sculpture and architecture in
Herculaneum Herculaneum (; Neapolitan and it, Ercolano) was an ancient town, located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Like the nea ...
and
Pompeii Pompeii (, ) was an ancient city located in what is now the ''comune'' of Pompei near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area (e.g. at Boscoreale, Stabiae), was buried ...
. Its features included the straight column, the simplicity of the
post-and-lintel In architecture, post and lintel (also called prop and lintel or a trabeated system) is a building system where strong horizontal elements are held up by strong vertical elements with large spaces between them. This is usually used to hold up ...
, the
architrave In classical architecture, an architrave (; from it, architrave "chief beam", also called an epistyle; from Greek ἐπίστυλον ''epistylon'' "door frame") is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of columns. The term can ...
of the Greek temple. It also expressed the Rousseau-inspired values of returning to nature and the view of nature as an idealized and wild but still orderly and inherently worthy model for the arts to follow. Notable architects of the period included
Victor Louis Victor Louis (10 May 1731, Paris – 2 July 1800, Paris) was a French architect, disqualified on a technicality from winning the Prix de Rome in architecture in 1755. Life He was born Louis-Nicolas Louis in Paris. He did not adopt the name Vic ...
(1731–1811), who completed the theatre of Bordeaux (1780), The Odeon Theatre in Paris (1779–1782) was built by Marie-Joseph Peyre (1730–1785) and Charles de Wailly (1729–1798).
François-Joseph Bélanger François-Joseph Bélanger (; 12 April 1744 – 1 May 1818) was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassic style. Life Born in Paris, Bélanger attended the Académie Royale d'Architecture (1764–1766) whe ...
completed the Chateau de Bagatelle in just sixty-three days to win a bet for its builder, the King's brother. Another period landmark was the belvedere of the Petit Trianon, built by Richard Mique. The most characteristic building of the late Louis XVI residential style is the Hôtel de Salm in Paris (Now the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur, built by
Pierre Rousseau Pierre Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (11 February 1905 – 1983) was a French essayist, epistemologist, astronomer and journalist who authored numerous popular science essays and articles. He helped promote hard science to the general public and advocat ...
in 1751–83. Superbly crafted desks and cabinets were created for the
Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...
and other royal residences by cabinetmakers
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 neoclassicism, neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Life and ...
and
David Roentgen David Roentgen (1743 in HerrnhaagFebruary 12, 1807), was a famous German cabinetmaker of the eighteenth century, famed throughout Europe for his marquetry and his secret drawers and poes and mechanical fittings. His work embraces the late Rococo ...
, using inlays of fine woods, particularly
mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...
, decorated with gilded bronze and mother of pearl. Equally fine sets of chairs and tables were made by
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 neoclassicism, neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Life and ...
and
Georges Jacob Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) was one of the two most prominent Parisian master ''menuisiers''. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical s ...
. The royal tapestry works of
Gobelins Gobelins may refer to: * Gobelin, the name of family of dyers, established from the 15th century * Gobelins Manufactory, a historic tapestry factory in Paris, France * Gobelins, l'École de l'image, a school of visual communication and arts in Pa ...
, Aubusson and
Beauvais Tapestry The Beauvais Manufactory () is a historic tapestry factory in Beauvais, France. It was the second in importance, after the Gobelins Manufactory, of French tapestry workshops that were established under the general direction of Jean-Baptiste Colbert ...
continued to make large tapestries, but an increasing part of their business was the manufacture of upholstery for the new sets of chairs, sofas and other furnishings for the royal residences and nobility. Wallpaper also became an important part of interior design, thanks to new processes developed by Reveillon. In Hungary it is known as Copf Style.


Origins and influences

The Louis XVI style was a reaction to and transition the French Baroque style, which had dominated French architecture, decoration and art since the mid-17th century, and partly from a desire to establish a new ''Beau idéal'', or ideal of beauty, based on the purity and grandeur of the art of the Ancient Romans and Greeks. In 1754 The French engraver, painter and art critic
Charles-Nicolas Cochin Charles-Nicolas Cochin (22 February 1715 – 29 April 1790) was a French engraver, designer, writer, and art critic. To distinguish him from his father of the same name, he is variously called Charles-Nicolas Cochin le Jeune (the Younger), Cha ...
denounced the curves and undulations of the predominant rocaille style: "Don't torture without reason those things which could be straight, and come back to the good sense which is the beginning of good taste." Louis XVI himself showed little enthusiasm for art or architecture. He left the management of these to
Charles-Claude Flahaut de la Billaderie Charles-Claude Flahaut de la Billarderie, comte d'Angiviller (1730–1809) was the director of the Bâtiments du Roi, a forerunner of a minister of fine arts in charge of the royal building works, under Louis XVI of France, from 1775. Through Fla ...
, the Count of Angiviller, who was made Director General of Buildings, Gardens, Arts, Academies and Royal Manufactories. Angeviller, for financial reasons, postponed a grand enlargement of the
Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...
, but completed the new Château de Compiègne (1751–83), begun by Louis XV, and decorated it from 1782 to 1786. The King's principal architectural addition to Versailles was the new library on the first floor (begun 1774). He was much more generous to Queen Marie-Antoinette; she redecorated the Grand Apartments of the Queen at Versailles in 1785, and carried out important works on her apartments at the Palace of Fontainebleau and Compiegne, as well as new apartments in the Tuileries Palace. The King also gave the Queen the Petit Trianon at Versailles, and in 1785 bought a new chateau for her at St. Cloud. Classicism, based Roman and Greek models had been used in French architecture since the time of Louis XIV; he rejected a plan by
Gian Lorenzo Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...
for a baroque facade of the Louvre, and chose instead a classical facade with a colonnade and pediment. The architects of Louis XIV,
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 ...
and
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 ...
, turned away from the gothic and renaissance style and used a baroque version of the Roman dome on the new churches at Val-de-Grace and
Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides ( en, "house of invalids"), commonly called Les Invalides (), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as ...
. Louis XV and his chief architects,
Jacques Ange 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 ...
and Jacques-Germain Soufflot continued the style of architecture based upon symmetry and the straight line. Gabriel created the ensemble of classical buildings around the Place de la Concorde while Soufflot designed the Panthéon (1758–90) on the Roman model. An influential building from the late Louis XV period was the Petit Trianon at Versailles (1762–1764), by
Jacques Ange 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 ...
, built for the mistress of the King, Madame Pompadour. Its cubic form, symmetric facade and Corinthian peristyle, similar to the villas of Palladio, made it model for the following Louis XVI style. Another notable influence on the style was the architecture of the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, which influenced the building of country houses in England, as well as the French architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1736–1806). Palladio's ideas were the inspiration for the Château de Louveciennes, and its neoclassical music pavilion (1770–71) built by Claude Nicolas Ledoux for the mistress of Louis XV,
Madame du Barry Jeanne Bécu, Comtesse du Barry (19 August 1743 – 8 December 1793) was the last ''maîtresse-en-titre'' of King Louis XV of France. She was executed, by guillotine, during the French Revolution due to accounts of treason—particularly being ...
. The pavilion is cubic in form, with a facade of four pilasters supporting the architrave and the pilaster of the terrace. It became the model for similar houses under Louis XVI. File:West facade of Petit Trianon 002.JPG, The Petit Trianon at Versailles (1762–64) by
Jacques Ange 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 ...
File:PavillonDeMusique.jpg, Music pavilion at the Château de Louveciennes (1770–71) by Claude Nicolas Ledoux


Motifs and ornaments

The decorative motifs of Louis XVI style were inspired by
antiquity Antiquity or Antiquities may refer to: Historical objects or periods Artifacts *Antiquities, objects or artifacts surviving from ancient cultures Eras Any period before the European Middle Ages (5th to 15th centuries) but still within the histo ...
, the Louis XIV style, and nature. Characteristic elements of the style: a torch crossed with a sheath with arrows, imbricated disks, guilloché, double bow-knots, smoking braziers, linear repetitions of small motifs ( rosettes, beads, oves),
trophy A trophy is a tangible, durable reminder of a specific achievement, and serves as a recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are often awarded for sporting events, from youth sports to professional level athletics. In many sports medals (or, in ...
or floral medallions hanging from a knotted ribbon, acanthus leaves, gadrooning, interlace, meanders, cornucopias, mascarons, Ancient urns, tripods, perfume burners, dolphins, ram and lion heads, chimeras, and gryphons. Greco-Roman architectural motifs are also very used: flutings, pilasters (fluted and unfluted), fluted balusters (twisted and straight),
column A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
s (
engaged An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...
and unengaged, sometimes replaced by caryathids), volute
corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applied to the s ...
s, triglyphs with guttae (in relief and trompe-l'œil). File:Detail of Railing.jpg, A torch crossed with a sheath with arrows on a railing from the
Musée Nissim de Camondo The Musée Nissim de Camondo is a historic house museum of French decorative arts located in the Hôtel Camondo at 63, rue de Monceau, on the edge of Parc Monceau, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. The nearest Paris Métro stops are Vi ...
(Paris) South gate of the Petit Trianon 004.JPG,
Oculus Oculus (a term from Latin ''oculus'', meaning 'eye'), may refer to the following Architecture * Oculus (architecture), a circular opening in the centre of a dome or in a wall Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Oculus'' (film), a 2013 American ...
of the Petit Trianon ( Versailles, France), with a ribbon at the top and two festoon-derived hanging ornaments Pendule petits appartements reine Versailles.jpg, Pendulum clock with ormolu mounts and a porcelain column part File:Fauteuil Georges Jacob Cabinet dore Reine Versailles.jpg, Armchair with a pair of cornucopias at the arms File:Print (France) (CH 18236703).jpg, Two designs of legs, one featuring straight flutings and acanthus leafs, and the other twisted flutings Baromètre - thermomètre (Louvre, OA 10545).jpg, Barometer - thermometer made of geometric shapes Materials and documents of architecture and sculpture - classified alphabetically (1915) (14596228707).jpg, Complex designs of
cartouches In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fea ...
Compiègne (60), église Saint-Jacques, ancienne clôture de lit de Louis XVI.jpg, Railing with an interlace band at the top, flutings and acanthuses on the balusters, and a relief of an urn Pair of vases MET DP168509.jpg, Pair of
amphora An amphora (; grc, ἀμφορεύς, ''amphoreús''; English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storag ...
-shaped vases decorated with festoons, rinceaux, trophies (one made of musical instruments and the other made of scientific ones), and sphinxes


Civil architecture

Notable monuments of Louis XVI civil architecture include the
Hotel de la Monnaie The Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) is a government-owned institution responsible for producing France's coins. Founded in AD 864 with the Edict of Pistres, it is the world's oldest continuously running minting institution. In 1973, the mint reloc ...
in Paris (1771–76) by
Jacques Denis Antoine Jacques Denis Antoine (6 August 1733, Paris - 24 August 1801) was a French architect, whose most notable masterwork is the Hôtel des Monnaies in Paris, which gained him entrance to the Académie royale d'architecture in 1776. He is also known ...
, as well as the Palais de Justice in Paris by the same architect; and the theater of Besançon (1775) and the Chateau de Benouville in the Calvados, both by Ledoux. The latter building has geometric architecture, a flat ceiling, and a portico in the giant order of Corinthian columns. The École de Chirurgie, or School of Surgery in Paris by
Jacques Gondoin Jacques Gondouin de Folleville, or simply Gondouin (7 June 1737 – 29 December 1818) was a French architect and designer. He was born in Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, the son of a gardener at the château de Choisy. He died in Paris, aged 81 ...
(1769) adapted the forms of the neoclassical town house, with a court of honor placed between a pavilion with a colonnade on the street and the main building. He also added a peristyle and another floor above the columns, and transformed he entrance to the courtyard into a miniature triumphal arch. Theatres in Paris and Bordeaux were prominent examples of the new style. The architect
Victor Louis Victor Louis (10 May 1731, Paris – 2 July 1800, Paris) was a French architect, disqualified on a technicality from winning the Prix de Rome in architecture in 1755. Life He was born Louis-Nicolas Louis in Paris. He did not adopt the name Vic ...
(1731–1811) completed the theatre of Bordeaux (1780); its majestic stairway was a forerunner of the stairway of the Paris Opera Garnier. In 1791, in the midst of the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
, he completed the
Comedie Francaise Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
. The Odeon Theatre in Paris (1779–1782) was built by Marie-Joseph Peyre (1730–1785) and Charles de Wailly (1729–1798). It featured a portico in the form of a covered gallery and columns in advance of the facade. One of the best-known buildings of the period is the small Château de Bagatelle (1777), designed and built by
François-Joseph Bélanger François-Joseph Bélanger (; 12 April 1744 – 1 May 1818) was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassic style. Life Born in Paris, Bélanger attended the Académie Royale d'Architecture (1764–1766) whe ...
for the Comte d'Artois, Louis XVI's brother. The small château was designed and completed in just sixty three days, to win a bet with
Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
that he could build a château in less than three months. Marie Antoinette had a similar small neoclassical belvedere created by architect Richard Mique, who had also designed the
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 h ...
, her picturesque rustic village in the gardens. Another unusual architectural project was the transformation of the Palais Royal in the heart of Paris, into a grand shopping mall. In 1781 the
Duc de Chartres Originally, the Duchy of Chartres (''duché de Chartres'') was the ''comté'' de Chartres, a County. The title of comte de Chartres thus became duc de Chartres. This duchy–peerage was given by Louis XIV of France to his nephew, Philippe II ...
, needing money, commissioned architect
Victor Louis Victor Louis (10 May 1731, Paris – 2 July 1800, Paris) was a French architect, disqualified on a technicality from winning the Prix de Rome in architecture in 1755. Life He was born Louis-Nicolas Louis in Paris. He did not adopt the name Vic ...
to create an arcade of shops, cafes and clubs on the ground floor. In 1788 he added a covered
cirque A (; from the Latin word ') is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from Scottish Gaelic , meaning a pot or cauldron) and (; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landform ...
in the center, a covered promenade and space for concerts and entertainments, with a trellis roof supported by seventy-two ionic columns. The most characteristic building of the late Louis XVI residential style is the Hôtel de Salm in Paris (Now the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur, built by
Pierre Rousseau Pierre Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (11 February 1905 – 1983) was a French essayist, epistemologist, astronomer and journalist who authored numerous popular science essays and articles. He helped promote hard science to the general public and advocat ...
in 1751–83. The facade is distinguished by its simplicity and purity, and its harmony and balance. A colonnade of corinthian columns supports the entablement of the rotunda, which is surmounted by statues. The facade is also animated by busts of Roman emperors in niches, and sculptures in relief above the windows of the semicircular central avant-corps. Paris - Hôtel des Monnaies - Escalier d'honneur -1.JPG, Stairs in the Hôtel des Monnaies by
Jacques Denis Antoine Jacques Denis Antoine (6 August 1733, Paris - 24 August 1801) was a French architect, whose most notable masterwork is the Hôtel des Monnaies in Paris, which gained him entrance to the Académie royale d'architecture in 1776. He is also known ...
(18th century) Hôtel de Mlle Guimard - Paris - Elevation.jpg,
Hôtel Guimard The Hôtel Guimard was a private home located at 9 rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin in Paris, France. Commissioned by the Opera dancer Marie-Madeleine Guimard, it was designed by the architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux in the neoclassical style, then bu ...
by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1770-1773) File:Chateau benouville.jpg,
Château de Bénouville The Château de Bénouville is a building in Bénouville, Calvados, Bénouville, Normandy, near Caen (northern France). It was designed in 1769 in architecture, 1769 by architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux and built in 1770-74 and 1776-80 at the reque ...
by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1770–1780) File:GrandTheatreBordeaux2.jpg, Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux by
Victor Louis Victor Louis (10 May 1731, Paris – 2 July 1800, Paris) was a French architect, disqualified on a technicality from winning the Prix de Rome in architecture in 1755. Life He was born Louis-Nicolas Louis in Paris. He did not adopt the name Vic ...
(1780) File:Grand escalier de l'opéra de Bordeaux.jpg, Stairway of the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux,
Victor Louis Victor Louis (10 May 1731, Paris – 2 July 1800, Paris) was a French architect, disqualified on a technicality from winning the Prix de Rome in architecture in 1755. Life He was born Louis-Nicolas Louis in Paris. He did not adopt the name Vic ...
(1780) File:Château de Bagatelle, Paris 17 July 2016 004.jpg, Château de Bagatelle by
François-Joseph Bélanger François-Joseph Bélanger (; 12 April 1744 – 1 May 1818) was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassic style. Life Born in Paris, Bélanger attended the Académie Royale d'Architecture (1764–1766) whe ...
(1777) File:Hôtel de Salm, Paris May 2014.jpg, The
Hotel de Salm A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...
, Paris, by
Pierre Rousseau Pierre Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (11 February 1905 – 1983) was a French essayist, epistemologist, astronomer and journalist who authored numerous popular science essays and articles. He helped promote hard science to the general public and advocat ...
(1751–1810) File:Petit Trianon - Belvédère 2013 - 1.jpg, The Belvedere of the Petit Trianon at Versailles by Richard Mique (1789)


Religious architecture

The
Pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...
, designed by Jacques Germain Soufflot as the Church of Sainte-Geneviève and begun in 1757 under Louis XV, was the most prominent example of religious architecture under construction during the period. It replaced the colossal columns modeled after those of the Church of the Jesu and St. Peter's in Rome with slender, graceful corinthian columns supporting a continuous entablement. The plan was also classical; the long nave with a vaulted ceiling was replaced by a Greek cross, with the dome in the center. Soufflot employed novel engineering techniques to support the dome; a system of contreforts and arches, and the use of iron bars to support the stone structure. The building was begun in 1764 but not completed until 1790, after the Revolution. Another important church completed in the Louis XVI period was Saint-Philippe-du-Roule (1768-1784) by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin. It was one of the last churches finished before the Revolution. The church is inspired by paleo-Christian architecture; it features massive columns and a pediment, and an interior with vaulted ceiling that suggests a vast Roman basilica. File:Eglise St Philippe du Roule - Intérieur.jpg, Interior of Eglise Saint-Philippe-du-Roule (1764–84) by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin File:Pantheon 1, Paris May 11, 2013.jpg, The
Pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...
(1764-1790), by Jacques-Germain Soufflot File:Pantheon wider centered.jpg, Interior of the
Pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...


Functional and utopian architecture

The architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux specialized in designing functional buildings in greatly simplified the classical style. Examples included his simplified neoclassical design for the customs barrier at La Villette in Paris (1785–1789), with its classical facade and rotunda. He was especially known for his project for the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans (1775–79) This was a model industrial site, in an elliptical shape, with the house of the factory director in the centre, with a rustic neoclassical colonnade, surrounded by the workshops, storerooms and offices in concentric rings. Etienne-Louis Boullée (1728–1799) was another visionary architect of the period; his projects, never built, included a monument to Isaac Newton (1784) in the form of an immense dome, with an
oculus Oculus (a term from Latin ''oculus'', meaning 'eye'), may refer to the following Architecture * Oculus (architecture), a circular opening in the centre of a dome or in a wall Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Oculus'' (film), a 2013 American ...
allowing the light to enter, giving the impression of a sky full of stars. His project for an enlargement of the Royal Library (1785) was even more dramatic, with a gigantic arch sheltering the collection of books. While none of his projects were ever built, the images were widely published and inspired architects of the period to look outside the traditional forms. File:France arc et senas saline royal main building 1.jpg, Director's house at the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1775–79) File:Paris - La Rotonde (22894527574).jpg, ''Rotonde de la Villette'' by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1785–89) File:Newton memorial boullee.jpg, Project for a monument to Isaac Newton by Etienne-Louis Boullée (1784) File:Bibliotheque nationale boul.jpg, Project for the Royal Library by Etienne-Louis Boullée (1785)


Interior decoration

The Louis XVI style of decoration marked the triumph of neo-classicism, which had been underway in Europe since 1770. It reflected the murals and designs found in the early archeological excavations in
Herculaneum Herculaneum (; Neapolitan and it, Ercolano) was an ancient town, located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Like the nea ...
and
Pompei Pompei (; nap, Pumpeje, ) or Pompeii (, as in the name of the ancient city) is a city and commune in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy, home of the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. History ...
, and the travels of groups of artists to Greece and Asia Minor. The "taste Pompeiian" was followed by the "taste Entruscan". Motifs in interior decoration included
arabesques The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...
and grotesques on the Pompeiian model. Bas-reliefs in the Greek and Roman style were popular, often in the form of rectangual friezes in bronze on furniture, or
stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...
, marble, molded stucco, baked earth, or simply painted in '' trompe-l'œil'' over doors. Other popular motifs included garlands of oak leaves or olive leaves, interlaced flowers, ribbons or vines, crowns of roses, flaming torches, horns of plenty, and particularly vases from which emerged flowers or vines. In the early part of the reign of Louis XVI, interior decoration was designed to overwhelm the viewer with its scale, majesty and opulence. Grand halls served multiple purposes, for theatre entertainments, balls, or banquets. An example of the early Louis XVI style is the dining room of the Château de Maisons, rebuilt between 1777 and 1782 by
François-Joseph Bélanger François-Joseph Bélanger (; 12 April 1744 – 1 May 1818) was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassic style. Life Born in Paris, Bélanger attended the Académie Royale d'Architecture (1764–1766) whe ...
for the Comte d'Artois, the brother of Louis XVI. This dining room, inspired by Grand style of Louis XIV and Louis XV. It features columns of the giant order, inches, frontons, consoles, sculpture in relief, and a gigantic fireplace. Later in the reign, the tendency shifted to smaller, more intimate and comfortable salons, studies, dining rooms and boudoirs, as the Cabinet Doré of Marie Antoinette at the Palace of Versailles (1783) and the boudoir of Marie Antoinette at Fontainebleau, in the Pompeiian style (1785). The Pompeiian style featured mythical animals, such as sphinxes and griffons, horns of plenty, and vases of flowers mounted on tripods. The style also was frequently used in friezes and cameos, in medallions and in white on blue
Wedgewood Wedgwood is an English fine china, porcelain and luxury accessories manufacturer that was founded on 1 May 1759 by the potter and entrepreneur Josiah Wedgwood and was first incorporated in 1895 as Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd. It was rapid ...
porcelain. In the later years of the Louis XVI style, the decorative panels were divided into often geometric divisions, either circles or octagons, Salon de Compagnie - Petit Trianon (23935437909).jpg, The Salon de Compagnie of the Petit Trianon (1762-1768) The Petit Trianon (23935245609).jpg, Staircase of the Petit Trianon (1762-1768) File:ChateauDeMaisonsSalleAMangerDuComteDArtois.JPG, The Dining Room of the Château de Maisons by
François-Joseph Bélanger François-Joseph Bélanger (; 12 April 1744 – 1 May 1818) was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassic style. Life Born in Paris, Bélanger attended the Académie Royale d'Architecture (1764–1766) whe ...
(1777–82) File:Cabinet dore Marie-Antoinette Versailles.jpg, The Cabinet Doré of Marie-Antoinette at the
Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...
(1783) File:Boudoir de la reine, Château de Fontainebleau.jpg, The Boudoir of Marie-Antoinette at the Palace of Fontainebleau in the Pompeiian Style (1785) File:Petit appartement du roi - Cabinet des jeux (1).jpg, The Game Room in King's small apartments at Palace of Versailles. (1785). Chairs by
Jean-Baptiste Boulard Jean-Baptiste is a male French name, originating with Saint John the Baptist, and sometimes shortened to Baptiste. The name may refer to any of the following: Persons * Charles XIV John of Sweden, born Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, was King ...
(1785), corner tables by
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 neoclassicism, neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Life and ...
(1774). File:Salle Marie-Antoinette (Louvre) D160106.jpg, The Salle Marie Antoinette of the Louvre


Furniture

Louis XVI style furniture, particularly the furniture made for the royal palaces, is among the most finely-crafted and valuable ever produced in France. Much of it was produced at the ''Garde-Meuble du Roi'', the royal furniture worship, directed by Francois II Foliot (1748–1808). Among the notable craftsmen of the period were
Georges Jacob Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) was one of the two most prominent Parisian master ''menuisiers''. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical s ...
, who made a suite of sofas and chairs for the apartments of Marie Antoinette at Versailles and for those of the Comte d'Artois, the King's brother, at the Temple. Oak,
mahogany Mahogany is a straight-grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Unive ...
and walnut were the woods most commonly used. The chairs of the early period made for Marie Antoinette were richly decorated gilded carvings, usually with floral patterns. The chairs and sofas were usually upholstered in satin, with more elaborate medallions embroidered in silk attached. Later in the period, more exotic themes, often taken from popular theatre productions in Paris, appeared in decoration of furniture. These included Chinese, Arabesque, and Etruscan figures. A variety of specialized pieces of furniture were created, including lightweight chairs for men sitting at gambling tables, and specialized chairs for boudoirs, dressing rooms, libraries, and antechambers. The beds, especially in the ''chambers de parade'' or ceremonial bedrooms of the royal palaces, were of monumental proportions and were usually separated from the rest of the room by a balustrade. These beds were termed ''à la Duchesse'', and featured an ornate canopy over the bed. The sculpted and gilded wood frame of the silk embroidered canopy over the bed of Marie Antoinette at Fontainebleau, installed in 1787, was so heavy that two additional columns were placed under it at night avoid its collapse. File:Fauteuil Jacob cabinet méridienne Versailles.jpg, Armchair by
Georges Jacob Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) was one of the two most prominent Parisian master ''menuisiers''. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical s ...
for the apartments of Marie-Antoinette at Versailles File:Jean-baptiste-claude sené, poltroncina con tappezzeria di beauvais, parigi 1780-85 ca.jpg, Armchair by Jean-Baptiste Séné with Beauvais tapestry upholstery (1780–85) File:Armchair MET ES5079.jpg, Armchair by
Georges Jacob Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) was one of the two most prominent Parisian master ''menuisiers''. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical s ...
File:Chambre de la Reine - Mobilier aux épis - Tabouret (tissu original).jpg, ''Tabouret'' from the Petit Trianon by
Georges Jacob Georges Jacob (6 July 1739 – 5 July 1814) was one of the two most prominent Parisian master ''menuisiers''. He produced carved, painted and gilded beds and seat furniture and upholstery work for the French royal châteaux, in the Neoclassical s ...
(1787) File:P1290875 Fontainebleau chateau rwk.jpg, Bed of Marie Antoinette at Palace of Fontainebleau by Jean-Baptiste Séné (1787) File:Folding stool (pliant) (one of a pair) MET DP113122.jpg, Folding stool by Jean-Baptiste Séné File:Daybed (Lit de repos or sultane) (part of a set) MET DP158381.jpg, Daybed or ''Lit de repos'' by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené (1788), Metropolitan Museum File:Daybed (Lit de repos or sultane) (part of a set) MET DP105681.jpg, Detail of a daybed by Jean-Baptiste Sené File:Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené (1748-1803), chaise voyeuse (1787), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.jpg, Chaise voyeuse by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Sené (1787)


Cabinet-making and marquetry

The craft of the '' ébéniste'', or cabinet-maker, was considered separate from that of other furniture-makers. About a third of the ''ébénistes'' in Paris were of foreign origin, either second-generation immigrants from Belgium and the Netherlands or first-generation from the Rhineland. The latter group included some of the most famous craftsmen, including
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 neoclassicism, neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Life and ...
, who became a master in 1768, and
David Roentgen David Roentgen (1743 in HerrnhaagFebruary 12, 1807), was a famous German cabinetmaker of the eighteenth century, famed throughout Europe for his marquetry and his secret drawers and poes and mechanical fittings. His work embraces the late Rococo ...
. They received special protection and patronage from Marie-Antoinette, who admired German craftsmanship. Several new varieties of the furniture were introduced, including a
commode A commode is any of many pieces of furniture. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' has multiple meanings of "commode". The first relevant definition reads: "A piece of furniture with drawers and shelves; in the bedroom, a sort of elaborate chest ...
in the form of half-moon form, and the ''commode dessert'', which had a door in the front with shelves on either side. The ''commode bonheur-du-jour'' was a dressing table for a
boudoir A boudoir (; ) is a woman's private sitting room or salon in a furnished residence, usually between the dining room and the bedroom, but can also refer to a woman's private bedroom. The term derives from the French verb ''bouder'' (to sulk ...
, with a small armoire on top, with either a mirror or a curtain. The ''table à la Tronchin'', named after
Jean Robert Tronchin Jean Robert II Tronchin (3 October 1710, Geneva - 11 March 1793, Rolle), also known as Tronchin-Boissier (Boissier was his wife's name), Attorney General, member of the State Council of Geneva was the son of Jean Tronchin (1672–1761). He busied ...
, was a table with a built-in-shelf which could be raised by a mechanism for reading. Some of the furniture was small and designed to be easily moved, to quickly rearrange salons. These included the ''table bouillotte'', a small round table with four legs and drawer. The tables and cabinets were usually decorated with sculpted and gilded bronze ornament, often in the forms of stylized roses, knotted ribbons, or pine cones. The surfaces were frequently inlaid with plaques of different colored exotic woods or mother-of-pearl, forming either a chequerboard pattern, a pattern of cubes, or more intricate designs. Sometimes the wood was dyed to achieve the color contrast, or pieces of wood were laid with the grain in different directions. Riesener was especially known for richly ornamented surfaces. Roentgen was particularly famous for his desks, which featured a variety of mechanical features as well as superb woodwork. File:Jean-Henri Riesener, Writing table made for Marie Antoinette, 1780-85 at Waddesdon Manor.jpg, Writing table made for Marie Antoinette by
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 neoclassicism, neoclassical "Louis XVI style". Life and ...
, (1780–85) File:Jean-henri riesener, angoliera, 1785 ca.jpg, Corner commode by Jean-Henri Riesener (1785) File:Bureau Marie-Antoinette Riesener Versailles.jpg, Table for Marie-Antoinette by Jean-Henri Riesener (1785) File:Rolltop Desk.jpg, Rolltop desk by
David Roentgen David Roentgen (1743 in HerrnhaagFebruary 12, 1807), was a famous German cabinetmaker of the eighteenth century, famed throughout Europe for his marquetry and his secret drawers and poes and mechanical fittings. His work embraces the late Rococo ...
(about 1785)


Tapestry

The royal tapestry workshop of
Gobelins Gobelins may refer to: * Gobelin, the name of family of dyers, established from the 15th century * Gobelins Manufactory, a historic tapestry factory in Paris, France * Gobelins, l'École de l'image, a school of visual communication and arts in Pa ...
continued to produce high-quality large works for royal residences and the nobility, but tastes had changed. The immense tapestries celebrating historical events were largely out of style. Instead of creating new designs, the manufactures of Gobelins,
Beauvais Beauvais ( , ; pcd, Bieuvais) is a city and commune in northern France, and prefecture of the Oise département, in the Hauts-de-France region, north of Paris. The commune of Beauvais had a population of 56,020 , making it the most populous ...
, and Aubusson recycled old designs, such as the ''Metamorphoses'' of Boucher. An increasing amount of the work was the creation of designs, especially polychrome floral patterns, for the upholstery of the royal furniture. The other two major tapestry workshops, Aubusson and Beauvais, also oriented their work primarily to furniture upholstery. File:Gobelin Manufactory - Portrait of Louis XVI (1745-93) - Walters 8227.jpg, A tapestry portrait of Louis XVI from the
Gobelins Manufactory The Gobelins Manufactory () is a historic tapestry factory in Paris, France. It is located at 42 avenue des Gobelins, near Les Gobelins métro station in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It was originally established on the site as a medieval ...
File:Sully at the Feet of Henri IV from a set of The History of France MET DP360588.jpg, Sully at the feet of Henry IV, Gobelins Manufactory (1788–92) File:Pair of chair backs MET DP234037.jpg, Gobelins upholstery for chair backs (1740–1780) File:Armchair MET SF1978 404 17 img1.jpg, Armchair with
Beauvais tapestry The Beauvais Manufactory () is a historic tapestry factory in Beauvais, France. It was the second in importance, after the Gobelins Manufactory, of French tapestry workshops that were established under the general direction of Jean-Baptiste Colbert ...
(1786–92) File:Tapisserie d'Aubusson (Huet).JPG, ''The offering of fidelity'', An
Aubusson tapestry Aubusson tapestry is tapestry manufactured at Aubusson, in the upper valley of the Creuse in central France. The term often covers the similar products made in the nearby town of Felletin, whose products are often treated as "Aubusson". The i ...
from a design by Jean-Baptiste Huet (About 1780)


Wallpaper and printed fabric

Hand-painted wallpaper had been used since in the 16th century for interior decoration, followed by wood block prints. French aristocrats often used tapestries in the major rooms, but in the antechambers and lesser rooms they often used painted or printed of painted paper designs imported from China, India, and especially England. In 1765, the French government placed a heavy tax on imported wallpaper, stimulating French production. During the reign of Louis XVI, the largest French enterprise for making wallpaper was created Jean-Baptiste Réveillon. In 1784, they received the title of Royal Manufactory, opened a large depot near the Tuileries Palace, and hired a group of noted artists and illustrators, including the son of the painter Boucher, to design wallpaper. They also soon developed a process for printing the wallpaper in long rolls. He also made the colorful paper that covered the balloon that made the first manned flight in 1783. Their factory in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine became one of the largest in Paris, and was an early target of demonstrations at the beginning of the
French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
. Another popular style that developed during the period was the decoration of rooms with panoramic scenes, composed of a number of painted or printed panels put together. These were commonly used in boudoirs and bath chambers. The salon of the pavilion of the Countess of Provence in Montreuil, and the country
cottage A cottage, during Feudalism in England, England's feudal period, was the holding by a cottager (known as a Cotter (farmer), cotter or ''bordar'') of a small house with enough garden to feed a family and in return for the cottage, the cottager ...
of the Prince de Condé at Chantilly had a similar panorama installed in 1775. Another popular form of decoration was printed fine cotton, with elaborate arabesques and floral patterns. The most famous variety was ''
toile de Jouy Toile (French for "canvas") is a textile fabric comparable to fine batiste with a cloth weave. Natural silk or chemical fiber filaments are usually used as materials. The word ''toile'' can refer to the fabric itself or to a test garment sewn ...
''. The fabric was made with wood block prints, was usually white and red or blue and red, was used to cover beds, for curtains, and for the covers of furniture. Another important industry was that of the manufacture of silk products. The best quality silk was made in Lyon, and was sold to
Catherine the Great , en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes , house = , father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst , mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp , birth_date = , birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
of Russia, Frederick the Great of Prussia, and other royal clients. Lampas silk coverings with motifs of arabesques and medallions covered the walls of the billiards room of Marie-Antoinette in 1779, and thereafter became fashionable in Paris residences. File:Sidewall (France), 1775–85 (CH 18394793).jpg, Sidewall pattern (1775) File:Sidewall (France), 1780 (CH 18319335).jpg, Sidewall pattern wallpaper (1780) File:Chateau Versailles cabinets interieurs de la Reine cabinet du Billard.jpg, Woven Lampas silk on walls of the billiards at Versailles (1779) File:Pictorial print MET DP274334.jpg, ''
Toile de Jouy Toile (French for "canvas") is a textile fabric comparable to fine batiste with a cloth weave. Natural silk or chemical fiber filaments are usually used as materials. The word ''toile'' can refer to the fabric itself or to a test garment sewn ...
'' printed fabric, with balloon design (1784)


Painting and sculpture

The most famous painter of the later French baroque was
François Boucher François Boucher ( , ; ; 29 September 1703 – 30 May 1770) was a French painter, draughtsman and etcher, who worked in the Rococo style. Boucher is known for his idyllic and voluptuous paintings on classical themes, decorative allegories ...
, who perfectly captured the spirit and style of the period. After his death in 1770, shortly before the beginning of the reign of Louis XVI, he had no real successor in the baroque style. The end of the reign of Louis XV also brought to prominence the first artist to paint in the neoclassical style,
Joseph Marie Vien Joseph-Marie Vien (sometimes anglicised as Joseph-Mary Wien; 18 June 1716 – 27 March 1809) was a French painter. He was the last holder of the post of Premier peintre du Roi, serving from 1789 to 1791. Biography He was born in Montpellier ...
, who painted scenes of Rome inspired by the discoveries at
Herculaneum Herculaneum (; Neapolitan and it, Ercolano) was an ancient town, located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Like the nea ...
and
Pompeii Pompeii (, ) was an ancient city located in what is now the ''comune'' of Pompei near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area (e.g. at Boscoreale, Stabiae), was buried ...
. Vien became the last holder of the title of first painter of the King, which he held from 1789 to 1791. Jean Peyron was another neoclassicist in the early Louis XVI reign. Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun was noted for her portraits of the royal family and nobility, including of Marie Antoinette and her children. The most prominent neoclassicist by far was
Jacques-Louis David Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...
, whose works well before the revolution expressed the Roman virtues of noble and grave simplicity. His major early works included ''
Belisarius Begging for Alms ''Belisarius Begging for Alms'' (french: Bélisaire demandant l'aumône) is a large-format (288 × 312 cm) history painting in oil on canvas by the French artist Jacques-Louis David. It depicts the Byzantine general Belisarius, who heroica ...
'' (1781), '' Andromache Mourning Hector'' (1783), and especially '' Oath of the Horatii'' (1784), exalting the willingness of Roman soldiers to give their lives for the nation. The painting was so popular when shown at the Salon of 1785 that David was permitted to establish his studio in Louvre, a particular honor for artists. This painting became a model of the style that dominated French art during and after the Revolution. File:Deux femmes au bain Joseph-Marie Vien musée de Cahors Henri-Martin Ca.1.32.jpg, ''Two Women bathing'' by Joseph-Marie Vien (1763) helped launch the wave of neoclassicism File:'Venus, Wounded by Diomedes, is Saved by Iris' by Joseph-Marie Vien, 1775.jpg, ''Venus. Wounded by Diomedes, is Saved by Iris'', Joseph-Marie Vien (1775) File:Jacques-Louis David - Oath of the Horatii - Google Art Project.jpg, '' Oath of the Horatii'' by
Jacques-Louis David Jacques-Louis David (; 30 August 1748 – 29 December 1825) was a French painter in the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era. In the 1780s, his cerebral brand of history painting marked a change in ...
(1786) File:Marie Antoinette and her Children by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun.jpg, Marie Antoinette and her children by Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun (1787)
Sculpture evolved from the more animated forms of the Baroque art to the more serene neoclassical style. The sculptors who were most prominent in the period included Étienne Maurice Falconet, who created table sculptures on classical and romantic themes for many Parisian salons, as well as the famous '' Bronze Horseman'', a statue of Peter the Great on horseback for Saint Petersburg. Another notable portrait sculptor was
Augustin Pajou Augustin Pajou (19 September 1730 – 8 May 1809) was a French sculptor, born in Paris. At eighteen he won the Prix de Rome, and at thirty exhibited his ''Pluton tenant Cerbère enchaîné'' (now in the Louvre). Selected works Pajou's portrait ...
, who also made statues of Greek and Roman gods, illustrating virtues; his statue of Mercury represented commerce. The most celebrated portrait sculptor was Jean-Antoine Houdon, known for his busts of leading figures of the period, including, in 1790, in the midst of the Revolution, Louis XVI himself. Louis-Simon Boizot was prominent for making busts of the nobility, including Marie Antoinette, but also for modeling figures for the Sevres porcelain factory, which became better known than his more formal sculpture. Examples include his ''The Toilet of Madame'', made of hard-paste porcelain, mounted on a plaque of marble and gilded bronze. File:Медный всадник (1).jpg, The '' Bronze Horseman'' by Étienne Maurice Falconet File:Falconet-amourmenaçant.jpg, Table sculpture of a cupid by Étienne Maurice Falconet File:Voltaire Houdon Louvre RF1426.jpg, Bust of Voltaire by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1778) File:Mercury Pajou Louvre RF1624.jpg, Mercury or Commerce, by
Augustin Pajou Augustin Pajou (19 September 1730 – 8 May 1809) was a French sculptor, born in Paris. At eighteen he won the Prix de Rome, and at thirty exhibited his ''Pluton tenant Cerbère enchaîné'' (now in the Louvre). Selected works Pajou's portrait ...
(1780) File:Marie-Antoinette Boizot Louvre RF4515.jpg, Marie Antoinette, by Louis-Simon Boizot for salon of 1781 File:Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory - The Toilet of Madame - Walters 48995.jpg, Table centerpiece of Sevres porcelain by Louis-Simon Boizot (1775)


Music

Musical tastes at court were guided by
Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child a ...
. The Queen played the harp and sang, and had been, in Vienna, a student of
Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...
. Her favorite composers were Gluck and Grétry, and she regularly attended concerts at the Academy of Music and the ''Concert Sprituel'', a society created to support new religious music. Gluck came to Paris in December 1776 for performances of his opera '' Iphigenie en Tauride'', and remained to compose seven more operas. However, his opera, '' Echo et Narcisse'' in 1779, was a failure, and he departed Paris, never to return.
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
came to Paris in 1778, where he conducted two symphonies including the ''
Paris Symphony The Symphony No. 31 in D major, Köchel-Verzeichnis, K. 297/300a, better known as the Paris Symphony, is one of the most famous Symphony, symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It may have been first of his symphonies to be published when Seiber ...
'', and gave music lessons to members of the nobility, as did
Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...
. The members of the new Masonic movement in Paris were particularly active in sponsoring music; they commissioned Haydn in 1785–86 to write the '' Symphonies parisiennes''.


See also

*
Louis period styles Louis period styles is the collective name for five distinct styles of French architecture and interior design. The styles span the period from 1610 to 1793.1770s in art 1780s in art 1770s in France 1780s in France French art Decorative arts History of furniture Interior design Architectural styles Ancien Régime French architecture French architectural styles Louis XVI