Gilles-Marie Oppenordt
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| - | :''[[Louis Quinze]], [[horror vacui]]'' | + | '''Gilles-Marie Oppenord'''['''t]''' (1672–1742) was a celebrated French designer at the ''[[Bâtiments du Roi]]'', the French royal works, and one of the initiators of the [[Rococo]], nicknamed "the French Borromini". He specialized in interior architecture and decoration, though he has been connected with the furniture of [[Charles Cressent]]. |
| - | '''Juste Aurèle Meissonier''' (1695-1750) was a [[France|French]] [[goldsmith]], [[sculpture|sculptor]], [[Painting|painter]], [[architect]], and [[furniture designer]]. Most of his works can be studdied in ''[[Œuvre de Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier]]'', published by [[Gabriel Huquier]] (1695–1772). | + | |
| - | He was born at [[Turin]], but became known as a worker in [[Paris]], where he died. His Italian origin and training were probably responsible for the [[extravagance]] of his decorative style. He shared, and perhaps distanced, the meretricious triumphs of [[Gilles-Marie Oppendordt|Oppenard]] and [[Germain]], since he dealt with the [[Rococo]] in its most daring and [[flamboyant]] developments. | + | ==Biography== |
| + | Gilles-Marie Oppenordt was born in [[Paris]]. His father '''Alexandre-Jean Oppenord''' (1639–1713) was an ''[[ébéniste]]'', born at [[Guelders]], one of numerous [[cabinet-maker]]s from the [[Low Countries]] who were drawn to Paris by the opportunity of [[patronage]]; the elder Oppenord was naturalized in 1679, when he was a ''menuisier en ebène'' ("furniture-maker in [[ebony]]") at the [[Gobelins Manufactory|Manufacture Royale des Gobelins]]; in 1684 the elder Oppenord was appointed an ''ébéniste du Roi'', with official lodgings in the [[Galeries du Louvre]] that had been perquisites in the royal gift of outstanding craftsmen in the luxury trades since the time of king [[Henry IV of France|Henri IV]]. | ||
| - | Rarely does he leave a foot or two of undecorated space; the effect of the whole is futile and fatiguing. It was because Meissonier carried the style of his day to its extreme that he acquired so vast a popularity. Like the [[English brothers Adam]] at a later day he not only as architect built houses, but as painter and decorator covered their internal walls; he designed the furniture and the candlesticks, the silver and the decanters for the table; he was as ready to produce a snuff-box as a watch case or a sword hilt. | + | As a boy Gilles-Marie Oppenord was trained in the studio of [[Jules Hardouin-Mansart]] and was sent in 1692 to study as a royal pensioner in Rome for eight years, where he largely ignored the remains of [[Classical Antiquity]] and spent his time instead sketching the Baroque sculptural ornaments of the preceding generations, principally those carried out under [[Bernini]] and [[Borromini]], and in northern Italy the ornament of [[Mannerism|Mannerist]] architects like [[Pirro Ligorio]]. Three notebooks of his youthful drawings survive. |
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| + | On his return to France in 1699 he failed to secure a post in the ''Bâtiments du Roi''. His only known early commissions, for the high altar (demolished) for [[Saint Germain des Prés]], Paris and that of [[Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris|Saint-Sulpice]] (1704), gained for him the favour of the [[Philippe II, Duke of Orléans|duc d'Orléans, soon to become Regent]]: in the year his father died (1713) he was listed as ''premier architecte'' of the duke. He remained an outsider, never taken into the Académie, but found private commissions, such as the engravings of the collection of the sculptor [[François Girardon]] (1710) while he added to his notebooks details of the most advanced recent French decorations, gaining fluency in the French idiom. | ||
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| + | Oppenordt, along with designers working officially for [[Robert de Cotte]], developed the voluptuous [[rocaille]] border and shell ornamentation, founded on the Italian [[Grotesque]], that had been developed by [[Jean Bérain the Elder|Jean Bérain]]. His earliest known commission to design interiors was at the [[Hôtel de Pomponne]] in Place des Victoires, Paris (1714). He was entrusted with the restoration and decoration of the Château de [[Villers Cotterets]], for the reception of the king after his anointing at [[Reims]] (1723). In the [[Palais Royal]] and the [[Hôtel du Grand Prieur de France]] he proved himself an elegant decorator. In 1721 the continuation of the work on Saint-Sulpice was transferred to him. He had already built (in 1710) the chapel of St. John the Baptist in the [[Amiens Cathedral|cathedral of Amiens]] and earlier the [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] novitiate church in Paris. | ||
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| + | He also possessed unusual talent as a [[drawing|draughtsman]]. Two books of his engraved designs were published, called by connoisseurs the ''Grand Oppenord'' and the ''Petit Oppenord''. In his ''Dessins, couronnements et amortissements convenables pour dessus de porte etc.,'' [[Gabriel Huquier]] engraved many of Oppenordt's designs. | ||
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| + | <!--confusion:Oppenord himself wrote (posthumously published) ''L'Art décoratif du 18 siècle'' (Paris, 1888).--> | ||
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| + | He died in Paris in 1742. | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
| + | * Destailleur, ''Recueil d'estampes'' (Paris, 1863—); Idem, ''Notices sur quelques artistes français'' (Paris, 1863) | ||
| + | *{{cite book|first=Fiske|last=Kimball|year=(1943) 1964|title=The Creation of the Rococo}} | ||
| + | * Lance, ''Dictionnaire des architectes français'' (Paris, 1873). | ||
| - | Not only in France, but for the nobility of [[Poland]], [[Portugal]] and other countries who took their fashions and their taste from Paris, he made designs. His work in gold and silver-plate was often graceful and sometimes bold and original. He was least successful in furniture, where his [[twirl]]s and [[convolution]]s, his [[floral]] and [[rocaille]] motives were [[conspicuous]]. He was appointed by [[Louis XV of France|Louis XV]] ''Dessinateur de la chambre et du cabinet du roi''; the post of designer ''pour les pompes funèbres et galantes''<!--sorry, if this doesn't make any sense--> was also held along with that of ''Orfèvre du roi''. | ||
| - | For our knowledge of his work we are considerably indebted to his own books of design: ''Livres d'ornements en trente pieces'' and ''Ornements de la carte chronologique''. | ||
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Gilles-Marie Oppenord[t] (1672–1742) was a celebrated French designer at the Bâtiments du Roi, the French royal works, and one of the initiators of the Rococo, nicknamed "the French Borromini". He specialized in interior architecture and decoration, though he has been connected with the furniture of Charles Cressent.
Biography
Gilles-Marie Oppenordt was born in Paris. His father Alexandre-Jean Oppenord (1639–1713) was an ébéniste, born at Guelders, one of numerous cabinet-makers from the Low Countries who were drawn to Paris by the opportunity of patronage; the elder Oppenord was naturalized in 1679, when he was a menuisier en ebène ("furniture-maker in ebony") at the Manufacture Royale des Gobelins; in 1684 the elder Oppenord was appointed an ébéniste du Roi, with official lodgings in the Galeries du Louvre that had been perquisites in the royal gift of outstanding craftsmen in the luxury trades since the time of king Henri IV.
As a boy Gilles-Marie Oppenord was trained in the studio of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and was sent in 1692 to study as a royal pensioner in Rome for eight years, where he largely ignored the remains of Classical Antiquity and spent his time instead sketching the Baroque sculptural ornaments of the preceding generations, principally those carried out under Bernini and Borromini, and in northern Italy the ornament of Mannerist architects like Pirro Ligorio. Three notebooks of his youthful drawings survive.
On his return to France in 1699 he failed to secure a post in the Bâtiments du Roi. His only known early commissions, for the high altar (demolished) for Saint Germain des Prés, Paris and that of Saint-Sulpice (1704), gained for him the favour of the duc d'Orléans, soon to become Regent: in the year his father died (1713) he was listed as premier architecte of the duke. He remained an outsider, never taken into the Académie, but found private commissions, such as the engravings of the collection of the sculptor François Girardon (1710) while he added to his notebooks details of the most advanced recent French decorations, gaining fluency in the French idiom.
Oppenordt, along with designers working officially for Robert de Cotte, developed the voluptuous rocaille border and shell ornamentation, founded on the Italian Grotesque, that had been developed by Jean Bérain. His earliest known commission to design interiors was at the Hôtel de Pomponne in Place des Victoires, Paris (1714). He was entrusted with the restoration and decoration of the Château de Villers Cotterets, for the reception of the king after his anointing at Reims (1723). In the Palais Royal and the Hôtel du Grand Prieur de France he proved himself an elegant decorator. In 1721 the continuation of the work on Saint-Sulpice was transferred to him. He had already built (in 1710) the chapel of St. John the Baptist in the cathedral of Amiens and earlier the Dominican novitiate church in Paris.
He also possessed unusual talent as a draughtsman. Two books of his engraved designs were published, called by connoisseurs the Grand Oppenord and the Petit Oppenord. In his Dessins, couronnements et amortissements convenables pour dessus de porte etc., Gabriel Huquier engraved many of Oppenordt's designs.
He died in Paris in 1742.
References
- Destailleur, Recueil d'estampes (Paris, 1863—); Idem, Notices sur quelques artistes français (Paris, 1863)
- Template:Cite book
- Lance, Dictionnaire des architectes français (Paris, 1873).
