, 1872-11-21
MANSARD.
Something About tho Great French
Architect.


From, TIE Estp York 1Iu1sa
T. is curious that when FRANCOIS AanEa-a. Ire
great French architect who invented the ,ocf
known By his name, introduced it to public no.
tice ir tbs construction OF. E hotel in Paris. tho
whole profession fell foul Of him. and attempted
to drive him from Paris. He was caricatured by
Lucas Ccanach in an amusing cartoon, WHICH
represented him escaping from Paris on dlmin-
utiye donkey. pursued BY the hlHses and shouts
of the profession. and hugging to his breast
model OF chateau. with enormous curb roofs.
Some account of the life OF this truly remarka
BILE architect will probably be Telished by the
public at the present time: Eos He "as born born
II IT, Paris ns in aa na yibar been l's9 long 81 setsd t
ia the capital Of Trance, but which was OF Ital-
ian origin. His remote ancestor, Michael Man.
earto, who entered the service OF the Car1ovin-
gian Kings shortly before the usurpation OF the
CapetB, is styled in the old Latin chronicle Ca
vaius Romanus, by which it ia to be inferred
that be hnd some pretensions to nobility. The
son Of this Roman knight was architect to hugo
Capet, and also taught mathematics to Robert,
traced in the annals OF Charles v, comes up
agai1 in the diary Of Charles VII, and is found
inscribed on great numbers of monuments dur
ing tho reigns of Louis le Gros Louis VII :, Phil
ip the Fair, and Francis I. Enough may be gath
that the family had distinguished themselves
in the profession OF architecture during
period OF many hundred years. The young
Francois Mansard was the apprentice OF his
uncle German Gautie1, who was worker in wood
to tie reigning King, and also architect, though
in this latter branch he does not seem to have
been highly distinguished. His nephew was
quick to learn, and displayed, not only wonder
full facility Of combination, but rare taste pre-
ferring lnstinctvely the chez dteHure Of antqu-
IT, upon which subsequently he endeavored to
mold atylo of his own. Els early efforts were
confined to works OF no great Importance, and
the first great affair placed in his hands Tas tue
,rCEi I'm
played mastery over the general plan. and
grasp Of details, which showed him to be one OF
the great ones OF architecture. His atelier be-
came crowded with noblemen and rich provin-
cial Presidents, who offered h'm commlsslons
of the most remunerative kind. and the Chateau
de Berry and the Chateau OF Choissy sur Seine
attested still further his consummate genius
| In 1632 the Commandeur de sillery desired him
to contribute his plans for the erection OF the
! Church of the Daughters Of the Virgin IN the
Rue St. Antoine and his sketches were so uni
yersally admired by the Court that CASTOR Of
| France. Duke OF Orleans, and brother Of the
| King. Louis XIII, ordered him to construct tho
| Chateau de Blos, which he commenced with
rreat spirit, but which was never finished, 1t
vas when engaged on this work that he devel-
oped his extraordinary mania Of pulling down
what had already been completed, IN order to re-
build it on totally different plan, which he con-
ceiyod superior. This. though prompted By his
| desire for perfection. was most annoying to Als
| patrons, and brought him much ye1ation and
! trouble. He was, however. too great an archl-
| tcct to be neglected, and Annie OF Austria, the
| Queen of Louis Treize, having spaem OF plety.
ordered him to build the chapel OF the Val de
| Grace His designs we're universally admired,
but when he had advanced to certain stage Of
| completion with the work new thought struck
| his fancy and he Was ebout to tear down the
walls, when the Queen, informed OF what be vas
| about to do. abruptly dismissed him, and the
| chapel Was confded to another architect, who
finished it Loyalty according to the first plans Of
Man;ard This greatly enragod 4 ,s the eccen;f'e a;
esty what sho had lost, constructed the
| chapel Of tho Chateau de Fresnes on the
plans which he had designed for the Val dc
| Grace, reducing them, however, to one-third Of
the original proportions. This work has justly
been considered by French architects the very
| pearl OF chapels and the perfection OF art.
! Shortly after this great triumph, he was COM
missioned by the President Of LonSueil to build
| for him his Chateau des Maisons, near St. Ger
main en- Layo, and he produced plans which do
| lighted the heart Of his patron. The building
| was to be largo central facade with two wings.
| Tho centre Was finished and also the eastern
| wing, but hardly had he completed the latter
| when . brilliant conception for the wings struck
| him. and, without moments hesitation, with
| out delgning to say word of the matter to his
| employer, be demolished the entiro wing. But
his second plan was so exquieite and the com
tho President not only forgave him
for the frigltful additional expense, but
gave him hearty thanks and muniiicent pres,
| eut. The Prime Minister, Colbert, who had
succeeded Cardinal lIazarn, consulted with him
about the construction Of tho Louvre, and Man
sard produced some excellent SKETCHES. Very
beautiful" said Colbert, "but I want not
asS but ats patn pPstanea aSs pin rs
architect, and even the threat of sending for
Bernini from Rome could not force him to pre-
sent a plan which he would promise not to
| change. Bernini Was sent for, but Mansard ex-
erted all his influence for his French rival, Per-
rault and it was tho latter who had the honor OF
building that superb palace. The last work of
Maneard was tie facade Of the Church of the
Little Ones, in the Place Royale Paris. He
died in 1866. at tie age Of 60, full Of years and
his name, Jules Hardouin Mansadt, the
child OF bis sister, who was married to Har-
douin, the painter. The young man studied
vehemently with his uncle, for whom he felt the
greatest veneration, and on becoming Of age as-
sumed the name of Mansard. His ability was By
no means so great as that Of his relative, but he
had no eccentricties, and bis manners we're &c
pleasing that he BECAME entirely beloved by Loui:
XIV,who made him his architect and Snperinten
dent of Public Buildings. he built for this greai
monarch the palace OF Versailles, the Hotel de:
Invalidcs, the Place des VICTORIES. the Cbatear
of Dampierre, the Church of Notre Dame de
and le Grand Trianon. He planned, also, the
Place Vendome. The King presented him will
the Order Of St. Michel: and rewarded him for hit
services so literally that he accumulated !argSe
fortune in spite Of somewhat extraVasant ex
penditure He died suddenly in l705, at the agt
ct 50, and was buried in the Church Of St. Paul
at Paris. His tomb was constructed by ths
sculptor Coysevox. and Vas spared during the
Revolution. It has since been transferred tt
another church OF Paris, where the curious may
still see it.
The style Of the unc!s Francois. Manaard
though open to criticism, is acknowledged BY al!
to ha full of noblene.s and magniticence. !
has, however, been said Of him TINT IN bis ef
forts to bring the Renaissance nearer to ths
spirit of the antique he lot The sninE i ss
fha enoch Of Francis T., and .gavs it an air o:
sombreness and an urden;able heaviness. Blu
no man understooa better than be did the gac
eral distribution Of pIan. He was. Absolutely
master OF his conceptions, dcw3 to tia most ia
aignidcant Of details; his pros;es wers d:s::a
gushed by their precision and trEta. aac; !:
F:ance ever produced. The curb roof, which, il
ridlcCIe OF him, was called Mansard, WIS at tht
1 srIo Il,