Pierre Contant d'Ivry (11 May 1698 in Ivry-sur-Seine – 1 October 1777 in Paris), was a French architect and designer working in a chaste and sober Rococo style and in the goût grec phase of early Neoclassicism.
Frontispiece of Pierre Contant d'Ivry's Oeuvres d'architecture (1769) with his portrait and showing his revised plan for the Église de la Madeleine[1]
An Architecte du Roi from 1728, he spent his career working for the French Crown and for an aristocratic private clientele: the contrôleur-général des finances Machault d'Arnouville, the princes de Soubise and de Croÿ, and baron Bernstorff, the Danish ambassador. Though he was not formally received into the Académie royale d'architecture until 1751, he was the architect attached to Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti, between 1737 and 1749. He was replaced in this position by Jean-Baptiste Courtonne.
Later Contant d'Ivry worked for Louis-Philippe, duc d'Orléans, for whom he transformed interiors of the Palais-Royal, Paris, in 1754, designs that were widely admired and published by Diderot and d'Alembert in the Encyclopédie, 1762, where Jacques-François Blondel praised their "correct middle pathway between two excesses, that of the heavy weight of our ancients and that of frivolity".[2] Surviving examples include the dining room of the Duchesse d'Orléans (now the Salle du Tribunal des Conflits of the Conseil d'État), which is in a neo-classical style with pilasters,[3] and another of her rooms (now the Salle des Finances), in which his surviving decoration of the ceiling and door panels is lighter and more reminiscent of the earlier French Regency period.[4] Contant d'Ivry was also responsible for the exteriors of the northern part of the east wing[5] (now on the Rue de Valois), the avant corps of which, "with its giant balcony brackets and rather inventive detailing, combines Rococo-style decorative charm with a certain Classical solidity in its massing."[6]
In 1763 a fire which started in the east wing in the opera house, the Salle du Palais-Royal, destroyed not only the theatre but also the adjoining sections of the palace. While the municipality of Paris was responsible for the opera house and hired its own architect, Pierre-Louis Moreau-Desproux, who also designed the new facades on the Rue Saint-Honoré side of the building, Louis Philippe engaged Contant d'Ivry, who designed the interiors of the reconstructed corps de logis, the facades of the Cour d'Honneur (on the garden side), and a grand staircase,[7] the "splendid escalier d'honneur, [which] with its domed covering and dramatic curved descent, is justly famous."[8]
Église de la Madeleine
In 1757, he presented a project for the new Église de la Madeleine in Paris, for which he drew inspiration from Jacques-Germain Soufflot's Église Sainte-Geneviève. Though the foundation stone was laid by Louis XV in 1763, funds lagged, and after Contant d'Ivry's death, the plans were modified, then the partially built structure was razed and begun anew.
Principal commissions
Château de Bizy, Vernon (Eure), for the maréchal de Belle-Isle (ca 1740, partly destroyed).
Hôtel d'Évreux, 19 Place Vendôme, Paris : grand staircase and boiseries (1747).
Château d'Arnouville at Arnouville-lès-Gonesse, for Jean-Baptiste de Machault d'Arnouville. He collaborated there with Jean-Michel Chevotet, (1751–1757).
Palais-Royal, Paris: In 1752 he provided décors for two main rooms, the salle de la section des Finances du Conseil d'État, (notably for the carved fielded panels of its double doors and its ceiling cornice) and the neoclassical salle à manger of the duchesse d'Orléans (now the salle du Tribunal des conflits), one of the earliest neoclassical interiors in Paris. After a fire in 1763, Contant d'Ivry rebuilt the central block, with its facade on the cour d'honneur and the monumental staircase (1765).[9]
Château de Stors (Oise): Chapel for the prince de Conti.
Garden designs
Château de Chamarande (Essonne).He provided a theater en plein air, an orangerie, a buffet d'eau, belvedere and designs for an ornamental vegetable garden.
^"juste milieu entre deux excès, celui de la pesanteur de nos anciens et celui de la frivolité"
^. Archived from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link); also . Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved 2015-06-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^. Archived from the original on January 26, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^Blondel, vol. 3 (1754), pp. 38–46 and especially plate 3.
^"Le Palais-Royal des Orléans 1692–1793" and "Visite du Conseil d’État au Palais-Royal" in French at the website of Le Conseil d'État et la Juridiction Administrative.
Sources
Ayers, Andrew (2004). The Architecture of Paris. Stuttgart; London: Edition Axel Menges. ISBN978-3-930698-96-7.
Baritou, Jean-Louis (1987). Chevotet, Contant, Chaussard: un cabinet d'architectes au Siècle des lumières. Lyon: La Manufacture. ISBN978-2-904638-98-5.
Bourbon de Conti, Louis François de, editor (2000). Les Trésors des Princes de Bourbon Conti. Paris: Editions Somogy. ISBN978-2-85056-398-0.
Braham, Allan (1980). The Architecture of the French Enlightenment. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN978-0-520-06739-4.
Dassas, Frédéric (1995). Les Résidences du Prince de Conti, mémoire de maîtrise d’histoire de l’art sous la direction d’Antoine Schnapper, Paris IV-Sorbonne.
Ericson, Svend (1974). Early Neo-Classicism in France. London: Faber. ISBN978-0-571-08717-4.
Gallet, Michel (1995). Les architectes parisiens du XVIIIe siècle: dictionnaire biographique et critique. Paris: Editions Mengès. ISBN978-2-85620-370-5.
Joudiou, Gabrielle (1987). "Pierre Contant d’Ivry" in Baritou 1987, pp. 86–181.
Joudiou, Gabrielle (1993). "Contant d’Ivry et les jardins classiques au XVIIIe siècle " in Jardins du Val-d’Oise.
Joudiou, Gabrielle (1998). "L’art des jardins chez Contant d’Ivry" in Annales du Centre Ledoux II.
Joudiou, Gabrielle (2000). L’Architecte Contant d’Ivry à L’Isle-Adam et à Stors in Bourbon de Conti 2000, pp. 107–111.
Olivier-Valengin, Elyne (2000). "Le château des princes de Bourbon Conti à L’Isle-Adam" in Bourbon de Conti 2000, pp. 112–123.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pierre Contant d'Ivry.
Les Oeuvres d'architecture de Pierre Contant d'Ivry, architecte du Roi. Première partie (1769) at INHA
April 04, 2023
pierre, contant, ivry, 1698, ivry, seine, october, 1777, paris, french, architect, designer, working, chaste, sober, rococo, style, goût, grec, phase, early, neoclassicism, frontispiece, oeuvres, architecture, 1769, with, portrait, showing, revised, plan, Égli. Pierre Contant d Ivry 11 May 1698 in Ivry sur Seine 1 October 1777 in Paris was a French architect and designer working in a chaste and sober Rococo style and in the gout grec phase of early Neoclassicism Frontispiece of Pierre Contant d Ivry s Oeuvres d architecture 1769 with his portrait and showing his revised plan for the Eglise de la Madeleine 1 Contents 1 Early career 2 Palais Royal 3 Eglise de la Madeleine 4 Principal commissions 5 Garden designs 6 Furniture designs 7 Gallery of designs for churches 8 Footnotes 9 Sources 10 External linksEarly career EditAn Architecte du Roi from 1728 he spent his career working for the French Crown and for an aristocratic private clientele the controleur general des finances Machault d Arnouville the princes de Soubise and de Croy and baron Bernstorff the Danish ambassador Though he was not formally received into the Academie royale d architecture until 1751 he was the architect attached to Louis Francois I de Bourbon prince de Conti between 1737 and 1749 He was replaced in this position by Jean Baptiste Courtonne Palais Royal Edit Contant d Ivry s avant corps on the Rue de Valois Later Contant d Ivry worked for Louis Philippe duc d Orleans for whom he transformed interiors of the Palais Royal Paris in 1754 designs that were widely admired and published by Diderot and d Alembert in the Encyclopedie 1762 where Jacques Francois Blondel praised their correct middle pathway between two excesses that of the heavy weight of our ancients and that of frivolity 2 Surviving examples include the dining room of the Duchesse d Orleans now the Salle du Tribunal des Conflits of the Conseil d Etat which is in a neo classical style with pilasters 3 and another of her rooms now the Salle des Finances in which his surviving decoration of the ceiling and door panels is lighter and more reminiscent of the earlier French Regency period 4 Contant d Ivry was also responsible for the exteriors of the northern part of the east wing 5 now on the Rue de Valois the avant corps of which with its giant balcony brackets and rather inventive detailing combines Rococo style decorative charm with a certain Classical solidity in its massing 6 Northern flight of the Palais Royal staircase In 1763 a fire which started in the east wing in the opera house the Salle du Palais Royal destroyed not only the theatre but also the adjoining sections of the palace While the municipality of Paris was responsible for the opera house and hired its own architect Pierre Louis Moreau Desproux who also designed the new facades on the Rue Saint Honore side of the building Louis Philippe engaged Contant d Ivry who designed the interiors of the reconstructed corps de logis the facades of the Cour d Honneur on the garden side and a grand staircase 7 the splendid escalier d honneur which with its domed covering and dramatic curved descent is justly famous 8 Eglise de la Madeleine EditIn 1757 he presented a project for the new Eglise de la Madeleine in Paris for which he drew inspiration from Jacques Germain Soufflot s Eglise Sainte Genevieve Though the foundation stone was laid by Louis XV in 1763 funds lagged and after Contant d Ivry s death the plans were modified then the partially built structure was razed and begun anew Principal commissions EditChateau de Bizy Vernon Eure for the marechal de Belle Isle ca 1740 partly destroyed Hotel d Evreux 19 Place Vendome Paris grand staircase and boiseries 1747 Chateau d Arnouville at Arnouville les Gonesse for Jean Baptiste de Machault d Arnouville He collaborated there with Jean Michel Chevotet 1751 1757 Palais Royal Paris In 1752 he provided decors for two main rooms the salle de la section des Finances du Conseil d Etat notably for the carved fielded panels of its double doors and its ceiling cornice and the neoclassical salle a manger of the duchesse d Orleans now the salle du Tribunal des conflits one of the earliest neoclassical interiors in Paris After a fire in 1763 Contant d Ivry rebuilt the central block with its facade on the cour d honneur and the monumental staircase 1765 9 Chateau de Saint Cloud Project for the Abbey and church of Pentemont rue de Bellechasse at rue de Grenelle Paris published 1769 Hopital general Valenciennes 1750 The new palace Saint Vaast d Arras Arras Eglise Saint Wasnon dedicated to Saint Wasnon at Conde sur l Escaut 1751 Chateau de Stors Oise Chapel for the prince de Conti Garden designs EditChateau de Chamarande Essonne He provided a theater en plein air an orangerie a buffet d eau belvedere and designs for an ornamental vegetable garden Chateau d Heilly Somme Chateau de Bizy at Vernon Eure Chateau des Conti at L Isle Adam Val d Oise Chateau de Stors at L Isle Adam Val d Oise The park and the monumental terraces Ekolsund Castle outside Enkoping Municipality Uppsala County Sweden Plan for redesign of the gardens 1757 Projected plan for the Ekolsund gardens 18 July 1757 Furniture designs EditConsole table gilded wood c 1750 55 set of four wall lights 1756 The Getty Center Los Angeles Gallery of designs for churches Edit Project for Saint Eustache Paris 1744 Interior of Saint Wasnon Conde sur l Escaut 1751 Interior of Arras Cathedral 1755 Footnotes Edit Braham 1980 p 50 juste milieu entre deux exces celui de la pesanteur de nos anciens et celui de la frivolite La salle du Tribunal des conflits Conseil d Etat website Archived from the original on January 26 2010 Retrieved 2011 01 03 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link also a later version with a different picture Archived from the original on September 27 2011 Retrieved 2015 06 07 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link La salle de la section des finances Conseil d Etat website Archived from the original on January 26 2010 Retrieved 2011 01 03 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Blondel vol 3 1754 pp 38 46 and especially plate 3 Ayers 2004 p 47 Le grand escalier Conseil d Etat website Archived from the original on July 21 2011 Retrieved 2011 01 03 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Ayers 2004 p 48 Le Palais Royal des Orleans 1692 1793 and Visite du Conseil d Etat au Palais Royal in French at the website of Le Conseil d Etat et la Juridiction Administrative Sources EditAyers Andrew 2004 The Architecture of Paris Stuttgart London Edition Axel Menges ISBN 978 3 930698 96 7 Baritou Jean Louis 1987 Chevotet Contant Chaussard un cabinet d architectes au Siecle des lumieres Lyon La Manufacture ISBN 978 2 904638 98 5 Blondel Jacques Francois 1752 1756 Architecture francoise 4 volumes Paris Charles Antoine Jombert Vols 1 2 3 amp 4 at Gallica Bourbon de Conti Louis Francois de editor 2000 Les Tresors des Princes de Bourbon Conti Paris Editions Somogy ISBN 978 2 85056 398 0 Braham Allan 1980 The Architecture of the French Enlightenment Berkeley University of California Press ISBN 978 0 520 06739 4 Dassas Frederic 1995 Les Residences du Prince de Conti memoire de maitrise d histoire de l art sous la direction d Antoine Schnapper Paris IV Sorbonne Ericson Svend 1974 Early Neo Classicism in France London Faber ISBN 978 0 571 08717 4 Gallet Michel 1995 Les architectes parisiens du XVIIIe siecle dictionnaire biographique et critique Paris Editions Menges ISBN 978 2 85620 370 5 Joudiou Gabrielle 1987 Pierre Contant d Ivry in Baritou 1987 pp 86 181 Joudiou Gabrielle 1993 Contant d Ivry et les jardins classiques au XVIIIe siecle in Jardins du Val d Oise Joudiou Gabrielle 1998 L art des jardins chez Contant d Ivry in Annales du Centre Ledoux II Joudiou Gabrielle 2000 L Architecte Contant d Ivry a L Isle Adam et a Stors in Bourbon de Conti 2000 pp 107 111 Olivier Valengin Elyne 2000 Le chateau des princes de Bourbon Conti a L Isle Adam in Bourbon de Conti 2000 pp 112 123 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pierre Contant d Ivry Getty Museum Pierre Contant d Ivry biographical note View of the entrance to the Palais Royal Grand Staircase at the Wayback Machine archived November 21 2008 Les Oeuvres d architecture de Pierre Contant d Ivry architecte du Roi Premiere partie 1769 at INHA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pierre Contant d 27Ivry amp oldid 1126622850, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
