French Renaissance

“French Renaissance” is a term used to describe a

cultural and artistic movement in France from the late

15th century to the early 17th century. The French

Renaissance (roughly) extends from the French invasion

of Italy in 1494 during the reign of Charles VIII to the

reign of Henry IV in 1610.

The reigns of Francis I of France (from 1515 to 1547), his

son Henry II (from 1547 to 1559) and Louis XIII Style

(1589-1643) are generally considered the apex periods

of the French Renaissance.

Notable developments during the French Renaissance

include; the beginning of the absolutism in France, the

spread of humanism; early exploration of the "New

World" (as by Giovanni da Verrazano and Jacques

Cartier); the importing (from Italy, Burgundy and

elsewhere) and development of new techniques and

artistic forms in the fields of printing, architecture,

painting, sculpture, music, the sciences and vernacular

literature; and the elaboration of new codes of

sociability, etiquette and discourse.

Architecture

Types of public and private buildings include the

Chateau, churches, hotels, and public buildings. Henry IV

institutes Italian urban planning concepts in Paris.

French squares are frameworks for private houses.

Chateaus, as country houses, are sited within natural

landscapes featuring long vistas; many are located on

high hills and/or along rivers.

Exteriors of chateaux exhibit symmetry,

an Italian bay system, windows placed

directly over one another, and

horizontal emphasis from cornices and

sting courses.

Chateau de S. Agil

Palais de Fontainebleau

Palace of Versailles

Churches continue the Latin cross plan. The plan at

Chambord develops as a fortified

rectangular compound with a central

courtyard and corner turrets. In it, the

main building has a Greek cross and

introduces the apartment, which is a

suite of rooms consisting of

antechamber, chamber, and cabinet.

The apartment and salon characterize

French domestic architecture for the

next 200 years.

Stone is the most preferred building

material followed by brick. Roofs are usually of slate.

Vernacular buildings commonly adopt briquette entre

Poteau constr

uction or

pierrotage

Interiors

The first French Renaissance interiors were created at

Fontainebleau in the 1530s by Italian artists

Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio.

Characteristics include slender nymphs with clinging

drapery, garlands, scrolls and strap work. There were not

heavily followed; interiors continue to feature Gothic and

classical

elements.

Doors, windows, and stairways are important features of

French renaissance interiors.

Galeire de Francois I, Palais de Fontainebleau

Galeire de Francois I, Palais de Fontainebleau-

Large and prominent chimneypieces are also the focal

points of this period.

It does not have classical proportions, but entablatures,

pilasters, and columns shapes the overall design.

In the Interiors the Decoration is generally concentrated

on the floor, walls, and ceiling of a room. Very few

furnishings were used in interiors.

The ceilings were generally Beamed embellished with

carving or with brightly colored stripes, arabesques, or

other repeated motifs. Plastered ceilings were usually

plain.

Characteristics of French Renaissance

Furniture:

Escabelle Same as sgabello.

Caquetoire Mostly used by women, scaled lightly

wooden chair with a tail, narrow paneled back attached

to a trapezoid seat.

Armoire Wardrobe cabinet that is movable

Commode Chest of drawers.