The Église Saint-Philippe-du-Roule is a Roman Catholic church located at 154

Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of the genus ''Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Mediterranean. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for it ...

in the

8th arrondissement of Paris The 8th arrondissement of Paris (''VIIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, the arrondissement is colloquially referred to as ''le huitième'' (). The ar ...

. Resembling a Roman temple. it was built in the style of

Neoclassicism Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as a Western cultural movement in the decorative arts, decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiq ...

between 1774 and 1784 by architect

Jean-François Chalgrin Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin (; 1739 – 21 January 1811) was a French architect, best known for his design for the Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Biography His neoclassic orientation was established from his early studies with the prophet of ne ...

best known for his design of the

Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often called simply the Arc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Plac ...

. It was enlarged in 1845 by the architects

Étienne-Hippolyte Godde Étienne-Hippolyte Godde (; 26 December 1781 – 1869) was a French neoclassic architect. Born in Breteuil, Oise, educated at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, and Architect of the City of Paris from 1813 to 1830, Godde desig ...

and

Victor Baltard Victor Baltard (; 9 June 180513 January 1874) was a French architect famed for work in Paris including designing Les Halles market and the Saint-Augustin church. Life Victor was born in Paris, son of architect Louis-Pierre Baltard and attended ...

History

The predecessor of the church was a small chapel attached to a hospital for

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

, which was demolished in 1739. It was located in the village of Roule, which had been joined to Paris in 1722, and was becoming a fashionable residential neighborhood. King

Louis XV of France Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), 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 reached maturity (then defi ...

wished to give the community a suitable church. The architect

, who later became famous for his plan for the

, was chosen for the project. Chalgrin made a design in the

neoclassical style Neoclassicism, also spelled Neo-classicism, emerged as 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. Neoclassici ...

, very popular in the period, with a facade resembling a Roman temple. Construction lasted from 1774 until 1784. Chalgrin's original plan called for two bell towers, but these were dropped because of a shortage of funds. During the French Revolution the church was closed, but the building was returned to the church in 1792, and became the parish church once again in 1802. The population of the neighborhood continued to grow, and an enlargement of the church was needed. Beginning in 1845 the architect Etienne-Hippolyte Godde (1781-1869) added a disambulatory with classical columns and a new chapel behind the altar in the west end of the church. This plan, based on the early

Paleochristian Early Christianity, otherwise called the Early Church or Paleo-Christianity, describes the History of Christianity, historical era of the Christianity, Christian religion up to the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Spread of Christianity, Christian ...

churches in Rome, became very popular during the

French Restoration The Bourbon Restoration was the period of French history during which the House of Bourbon returned to power after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1814 and 1815. The second Bourbon Restoration lasted until the July Revolution of 1830, during ...

. They added a lavishly decorated axial chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, at the east end of the church. Later in the 19th century, colorful stained glass windows depicting events in the lives of Saint Philip and Saint John, were added along the side aisles; these were the work of Emile Hirsch (1832-1904). File:Eglise St Philippe du Roule - Intérieur.jpg, The church interior in about 1785

Exterior

The exterior of the church is modelled after the early Christian basilcas in Rome, The

peristyle In ancient Ancient Greek architecture, Greek and Ancient Roman architecture, Roman architecture, a peristyle (; ) is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. ''Tetrastoön'' () is a rare ...

over the portal is supported by four columns of the

Doric order The Doric order is one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of t ...

, and is topped by a triangular

pediment Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...

. The sculpture on the pediment is decorated with an allegorical figure representing Religion, holding a chalice and a cross. The sculpture was made by Francois-Joseph Duret (1732-1816). The inscription below says that the church is dedicated to Saint Philip the Apostle. File:Eglise Saint-Philippe-du-Roule1.JPG, The facade of the church, with four columns of the

supporting the

File:Eglise Saint-Philippe-du-Roule2.JPG, The sculpture on the pediment depicts "Religion", holding a chalice and a cross.

Nave and Choir

The nave and choir are ringed by columns with capitals of the

Ionic order The Ionic order is one of the three canonic classical order, orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric order, Doric and the Corinthian order, Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan order, Tuscan (a plainer Doric) ...

, giving it a formal appearance, but this is offset by the colorful and dramatic art in the room. The caissons of the rounded ceiling, decorated with floral elements, are actually wood painted to resemble stone." In the rotunda above the choir is the centerpiece of the art in the church, a painting by Theodore Chassériau (1819-1856), dramatically depicting The descent of Christ from the Cross. The body of Christ is held up by mourners, who include the Virgin Mary in a central position, and an assembly of Saints. The colors of the painting and dramatic positions of the mourners provide a striking contrast to the formal classical architecture around them. File:Saint-Philippe-du-Roule Paris.jpg, The nave, looking toward the choir File:Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (33302720670).jpg, "Descent from the Cross" by Theodore Chassériau File:Descente de Croix St-Phil-du-Roule Paris detail.jpg, Detail of "The Descent from the Cross"

Chapel of the Virgin

THe Chapel of the Virgin, behind the altar in the apae of the church, is the most highly-decorated part of the church, with sculpture and paintings illustrating the life of the Virgim Mary. THe lower row of aintings of

Claudius Jacquand Claude Jacquand, known as Claudius Jacquand (; 11 December 1803, Lyon – 2 April 1878, Paris) was a French painter of historical tableaus, genre scenes and religious subjects. Biography He came from a family devoted to handicrafts and his fathe ...

s(1804-1878) how scenes from the life of the Virgin, while the upper paintings illustrate the litanies. The painting by Jacquand the vault over the altar depicts Christ crowning the Virgin. Christ is accompanied by Saint Philip and Saint John. The centerpiece of the chapel is a marble statue of the Virgin Mary and child, called "Our Lady of All the Graces", by Charles-François Lebœuf Nanteuil (1792-1865). File:Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (33686592095).jpg, painting over the altar in the Chapel of the Virgin; "Christ crowning the Virgin" by

File:Vierge Marie St Phil du Roule Paris.jpg, Statue of Virgin Mary in the Chapel of the Virgin File:Chapelle de la Vierge Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.jpg, Altar of the Chapel of the Virgin File:Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (32873387193).jpg, Chapel of the Virgin File:Sainte Famille Saint-Philippe.jpg, Painting of the Holy Family by

Stained Glass

The bays along the outer outer aisles are not occupied by chapels, and instead are filled with colorful stained glass windows in the

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

style from the end of the 19th century. The windows in the aisles illustrate scenes from the lives of Saint Philip the Apostle and

Saint John the Apostle John the Apostle (; ; ), also known as Saint John the Beloved and, in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Saint John the Theologian, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he ...

. These were made by

Emile Hirsch Emile Davenport Hirsch (born March 13, 1985) is an American actor. His portrayal of Chris McCandless in '' Into the Wild'' (2007) earned him acclaim and multiple award nominations. Other notable roles include '' The Girl Next Door'' (2004), '' ...

(1832-1904). A series of windows depicting saints was created from paintings by

Albert Maignan Albert Pierre René Maignan (14 October 1845 – 29 September 1908) was a French history painter and illustrator. Biography In 1864, he left his hometown to study law in Paris, earning his diploma in 1866. During his studies he also paint ...

in 1894. A colorful circular stained glass is placed over the altar in the Chapel of the Virgin.
Article in patrimoine-histoire.fr, on the history and art of the church File:Vitrail Saint-Philippe-du-Roule Jésus.JPG, , "Christ with the Apostles" by

Emile Hirsch (painter) Emile Hirsch (18321904) was a French stained glass artist. References

1832 births 1904 deaths École des Beaux-Arts alumni French stained glass artists and manufacturers Artists from Metz Painters from Grand Est {{France-artist-stub ...

File:Stained glass @ Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (33686597715).jpg, Window over the Chapel of the Virgin File:Stained glass @ Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (33556863201).jpg, Saint John the Baptist baptizes Christ File:Vitrail Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.JPG, The martyrdom of Saint Philip File:Stained glass @ Eglise Saint-Philippe du Roule @ Paris (33645808636).jpg, Nave window

Organ

The organ of the church, built by the firm of Cavaillé-Coll-Mutin in 1903, is located in a niche under the vaults over the tribune, above the portal to the nave. The church's organists have included

Alphonse Schmitt Alphonse Schmitt (1 December 1875 – 13 February 1912) was a French organist and composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by ...

(until 1912),

Henri Mulet Henri Gabriel Mulet (; 17 October 1878 – 20 September 1967) was a French composer, pipe and reed organist, and cellist. Biography Mulet was born on 17 October 1878 in Paris. His father Gabriel Léon Mulet was choirmaster of the Basilica of ...

(1923−1937) and

Michel Boulnois Michel Boulnois (31 October 1907 – 30 November 2008) was a 20th-century French organist and composer. Biography Born in Paris in a family of musicians, his father, Joseph Boulnois, was also an organist and composer. Michel Boulnois was on ...

(1937−1990). File:Orgue Église Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.jpg

Notes and citations

Bibliography (in French)

*Dumoulin, Aline; Ardisson, Alexandra; Maingard, Jérôme; Antonello, Murielle; ''Églises de Paris'' (2010), Éditions Massin, Issy-Les-Moulineaux, (in French)

External Links (in French)

Website of the church * :fr:Église Saint-Philippe-du-Roule Link to the French Wikipedia article on the church

Article in patrimoine-histoire.fr, on the history and art of the church Roman Catholic churches in the 8th arrondissement of Paris {{Commons category}