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 The Bâtiments du Roi (, "King's Buildings") was a division of the Maison du Roi ("King's Household") in France under the Ancien Régime. It was responsible for building works at the King's residences in and around Paris. History The Bâtiments ...

, forming part of the

Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi (french: Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi) was the secretary of state in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration in charge of the Département de la Maison du Roi. The exact com ...

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 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 ...

was in charge of the design of the

Place de la Concorde The Place de la Concorde () is one of the major public squares in Paris, France. Measuring in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. ...

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 The Académie Royale d'Architecture (; en, "Royal Academy of Architecture") was a French learned society founded in 1671. It had a leading role in influencing architectural theory and education, not only in France, but throughout Europe and t ...

. 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 Louis Métezeau (1559 – 18 August 1615) was a French architect.Babelon 1996, p. 345. Life and career He was born in Dreux, Eure-et-Loir, and died in Paris. He was the son of Thibault Métezeau, the brother of Clément II Métezeau and the n ...

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

* 1742–1775:

* 1775–1777:

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 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:First Architect to the King Ancien Régime French architecture Offices in the Ancien Régime

Responsibilities

Organization

Chronological list of Premiers Architectes du Roi

See also

References