François de Cuvilliés, sometimes referred to as the Elder (23 October 1695, Soignies, Hainaut – 14 April 1768, Munich), was a Belgian-born Bavarian decorative designer and architect. He was instrumental in bringing the Rococo style to the Wittelsbach court at Munich and to Central Europe in general.
Cuvilliés was so diminutive in stature that it was as a court dwarf that he first came to the notice of the then-exiled Max Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria,[1] who detected the young dwarf's aptitude and had him tutored in mathematics, then underwrote his further education with Joseph Effner and sent him to Paris from 1720 to 1724, where he trained in the atelier of Jean-François Blondel,[2] On his return to Munich, he was appointed court architect, at first in conjunction with Effner.
At the Elector's death in 1726, for a time Cuvilliés worked at Schloss Brühl for the new Elector's brother, Clemens August of Bavaria. He provided designs for the chapel at Brūhl, (1730–40) and the hunting lodge Falkenlust (1729–40) but as Charles Albert's interests shifted to Munich, he also returned to Munich. There his fame was established by the decors of the Reiche Zimmer in the Munich Residenz, which had been damaged by a fire, 14 December 1729. The contents of the Schatzkammer fortunately had been spared, and Cuvilliés was commissioned to design the panelling of a new interior, to be executed by the court's premier carver Joachim Dietrich[3] with four rococo gilded console tables on scrolling legs with playful dragons.[4]
His masterpiece is the Amalienburg in the park at Nymphenburg, built 1734–39, with silvered or gilded naturalist Rococo decorations set off by coloured grounds. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, "his style, while essentially thin, is often painfully elaborate and bizarre. He designed mirrors and consoles, balustrades for staircases, ceilings and fireplaces, and in furniture, beds and commodes especially".[5]
The Residenztheater, or "Cuvilliés Theatre", (1751–1755) was designed and constructed for Elector Max III Joseph by Cuvilliées. Though the theatre was bombed during World War II, the carved and gilded boxes had been dismantled and stored for security. Afterwards, the Residenztheatre was meticulously recreated in the 1950s.
He wrote several treatises on artistic and decorative subjects, which were edited by his son, François de Cuvilliés the Younger, who succeeded his father at the court of Munich.[5] From 1738 he embarked on his lifelong series of suites of engravings of wall-panelling, cornices, furniture and wrought-iron work, which were then published in Munich and distributed in Paris and doubtless elsewhere;[6] they served to disseminate the Rococo throughout Europe.
His son François de Cuvilliés the Younger (* 24 October 1731 in Munich; † 10 January 1777 there) was also an architect and an assistant to his father. After the death of the latter, he became a deputy master-builder to the Electoral court at Munich. His work at first was in his father's Rococo style, but later led to Neoclassicism.
Notesedit
^Probably when the Elector visited Mons. Preston Remington, "Doors after the Designs of François de Cuvilliés" The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin22.2 (December 1927, pp. 292-294) p. 291. Two pairs of painted and gilded doors from the Benedictine abbey of Heilige Kreuz, near Donauwörth, Bavaria, are in the museum's collection.
^Blondel was the uncle of Jacques-François Blondel, the great architectural teacher of the neoclassicists and enemy of the Rococo, discussed by Freek H. Schmidt, "Expose Ignorance and Revive the "Bon Goût": Foreign Architects at Jacques-François Blondel's École des Arts" The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians61.1 (March 2002), pp. 4-29.
^Afra Schick, "François Cuvilliés and Joachim Dietrich: The Furnishing of the Treasury in the Munich Residenz", The Burlington Magazine138 No. 1119 (June 1996) pp. 393-395.
^ abOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Cuvilles, François de". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 677.
françois, cuvilliés, sometimes, referred, elder, october, 1695, soignies, hainaut, april, 1768, munich, belgian, born, bavarian, decorative, designer, architect, instrumental, bringing, rococo, style, wittelsbach, court, munich, central, europe, general, conte. Francois de Cuvillies sometimes referred to as the Elder 23 October 1695 Soignies Hainaut 14 April 1768 Munich was a Belgian born Bavarian decorative designer and architect He was instrumental in bringing the Rococo style to the Wittelsbach court at Munich and to Central Europe in general Contents 1 Life and career 2 Chief works 3 Francois de Cuvillies the Younger 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksLife and career edit nbsp Falkenlust Hunting Lodge at Bruhl nbsp State bedroom of the Bavarian elector Munich Residence nbsp Amalienburg in the Nymphenburg Palace Park nbsp Hall of mirrors at Amalienburg nbsp Interior of the Cuvillies Theatre Munich Residence nbsp Schloss Wilhelmsthal in CaldenCuvillies was so diminutive in stature that it was as a court dwarf that he first came to the notice of the then exiled Max Emanuel Elector of Bavaria 1 who detected the young dwarf s aptitude and had him tutored in mathematics then underwrote his further education with Joseph Effner and sent him to Paris from 1720 to 1724 where he trained in the atelier of Jean Francois Blondel 2 On his return to Munich he was appointed court architect at first in conjunction with Effner At the Elector s death in 1726 for a time Cuvillies worked at Schloss Bruhl for the new Elector s brother Clemens August of Bavaria He provided designs for the chapel at Bruhl 1730 40 and the hunting lodge Falkenlust 1729 40 but as Charles Albert s interests shifted to Munich he also returned to Munich There his fame was established by the decors of the Reiche Zimmer in the Munich Residenz which had been damaged by a fire 14 December 1729 The contents of the Schatzkammer fortunately had been spared and Cuvillies was commissioned to design the panelling of a new interior to be executed by the court s premier carver Joachim Dietrich 3 with four rococo gilded console tables on scrolling legs with playful dragons 4 His masterpiece is the Amalienburg in the park at Nymphenburg built 1734 39 with silvered or gilded naturalist Rococo decorations set off by coloured grounds According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica Eleventh Edition his style while essentially thin is often painfully elaborate and bizarre He designed mirrors and consoles balustrades for staircases ceilings and fireplaces and in furniture beds and commodes especially 5 The Residenztheater or Cuvillies Theatre 1751 1755 was designed and constructed for Elector Max III Joseph by Cuvilliees Though the theatre was bombed during World War II the carved and gilded boxes had been dismantled and stored for security Afterwards the Residenztheatre was meticulously recreated in the 1950s He wrote several treatises on artistic and decorative subjects which were edited by his son Francois de Cuvillies the Younger who succeeded his father at the court of Munich 5 From 1738 he embarked on his lifelong series of suites of engravings of wall panelling cornices furniture and wrought iron work which were then published in Munich and distributed in Paris and doubtless elsewhere 6 they served to disseminate the Rococo throughout Europe Chief works editAugustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces Bruhl World Heritage Site 1728 1740 Palais Piosasque de Non in Munich 1729 destroyed de Upgrading of the Munich Residence 1730 1737 including construction of the Cuvillies Theatre 1750 1753 Palais Holnstein in Munich 1733 1737 Amalienburg in the park of Nymphenburg Palace 1734 1739 Schloss Haimhausen 1743 49 Schloss Wilhelmsthal in Calden near Kassel 1744 Facade of Theatine Church Munich 1768 Francois de Cuvillies the Younger editHis son Francois de Cuvillies the Younger 24 October 1731 in Munich 10 January 1777 there was also an architect and an assistant to his father After the death of the latter he became a deputy master builder to the Electoral court at Munich His work at first was in his father s Rococo style but later led to Neoclassicism Notes edit Probably when the Elector visited Mons Preston Remington Doors after the Designs of Francois de Cuvillies The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 22 2 December 1927 pp 292 294 p 291 Two pairs of painted and gilded doors from the Benedictine abbey of Heilige Kreuz near Donauworth Bavaria are in the museum s collection Blondel was the uncle of Jacques Francois Blondel the great architectural teacher of the neoclassicists and enemy of the Rococo discussed by Freek H Schmidt Expose Ignorance and Revive the Bon Gout Foreign Architects at Jacques Francois Blondel s Ecole des Arts The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians 61 1 March 2002 pp 4 29 Today it is the Porzellankabinett Afra Schick Francois Cuvillies and Joachim Dietrich The Furnishing of the Treasury in the Munich Residenz The Burlington Magazine 138 No 1119 June 1996 pp 393 395 a b nbsp One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Cuvilles Francois de Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 7 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 677 1738 1745 1756 References edit Getty Museum Francois de Cuvillies the Getty Museum has a pair of white and gilded commodes with carved decoration attributed to Cuvillies External links edit nbsp Media related to Francois de Cuvillies at Wikimedia Commons Works by Cuvillies in the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francois de Cuvillies amp oldid 1197898763, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
