Week 10- French Renaissance Neoclassic

 French Renaissance Neoclassic

    Baroque Periods 

    There are many different divisions in the French Renaissance period all ranging from 1484-1879. The early renaissance period is considered 1484-1547. In this period, they transformed from Gothic to the Renaissance styles. The forefronts of this period were Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francois I. The middle renaissance is considered to be dated between 1547-1589. In this period, they would gradually eliminate the Gothic forms as well as Catherine de Medici dominated this time. The late renaissance was considered to be 1589-1643 this time had lots of Italian Renaissance influence. A large piece of this time was the Edict of Nantes, built in 1589 this would become a landmark on the history of toleration and freedom. 

    The we get to the Baroque Style which is what we are going to be focusing on today. This period is placed from 1643-1700. This time is considered the Golden Age and at the forefront of this time is Louis XIV. The historical setting from the French Renaissance includes a strong sense of the Gothic style, this time period had many successful styles that tended to overlap and bind together. Francois I was considered the patron of the arts, he promoted the renaissance by attracting Italian artists to the work for him, including Leonardo DaVinci. He had many pieces that shaped the time such as: Chateau de Blois, Chateau de Chambord, the double spiral staircase, and the Chateau de Fontainebleau. 

    Architecture in France had no need for new religious structures, instead palaces and chateaux were built. In this time period exteriors became important, the weather called for steep roofs, many chimneys, and many large windows. The roofs often had two slopes. Francois Mansart was a French Baroque architect and created the mansard roof. Often in this time the interiors of the building did not reflect the exterior style. Nowadays I feel this is the opposite. Often times the style or aesthetic of the outside matches the interior. Modern sleek homes often result in a minimalist and clean simple home on the inside. Francois I had many characteristics that seeped into this period, he used a medieval form with lots of carved surfaces, a decorative use of nude figures, walnut wood. interiors often had aspects of upholstered chairs, decorative details on arms and backs of furniture, and a trapezoidal form where chairs would close together. 

    One piece that I found specifically intriguing was the Gallery of Henry II Chateau de Fontainebleau. This space has a clear style and cohesiveness to the space. The wood paneling with the massive, coffered ceiling brings a tie to the paintings on the walls. As well as the cutouts on the ceiling matching the different room spaces planned out. The space also ties the flooring to the ceiling, with spacing and shape, this space feels cohesive and thought-out. Even though it has lots going on throughout the space it all has a purpose and function to the design. Funiture of this time also has lots of details, the Dressoir has hinged doors on the top of the cabinet with small carved detailing through the whole piece. The Armoire a Deux Corps is also a cupboard of sorts with two parts. The smaller portion is on top, and the lower section is a base that then converts to a larger cupboard. 

    Another piece that I find interesting is the Chateau de Chambord, this building was built by Francois I and partially designed by Leonardo DaVinci, built with dormer windows, and a double staircase. The stairs start at opposite sides and never meet. The Chateau de Blois has depressed arches, low-relief ornaments, as well as asymmetrical organization of openings. Throughout this time there was also lots of art produced. One piece that was highlighted in the slides was Judith Beheading Holofernes, from 1599. This piece is intriguing simply because of the amount of detail to the expressions of each person. It expresses clearly what each person is feeling as well as the application of the art being expressed. 

ONE STEP FURTHER

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was an Italian artist who was the greatest sculptor of the 17th century and an outstanding architect as well. Bernini created the Baroque style of sculptures. In his later years he focused on his architecture more; after designing the Cornaro Church he developed the Sant' Andrea al Quirinale in Rome. His largest architectural achievement was the colonnade enclosing the piazza at the St. Peter's Basilica. 

EXTRA LINKS

French Architecture - History of Building Styles in France (artincontext.org)

Baroque art and architecture | Definition, Characteristics, Artists, History, & Facts | Britannica

French Renaissance Architecture - Vancouver Film School (VFS) (youtube.com)

Chateau De Chambord | A Masterpiece of the French Renaissance - YouTube

One of the Most Precious Examples of French Neoclassical Architecture (youtube.com)