Claude Desgotz
Encyclopedia
Claude Desgotz was the nephew and protegé of André Le Nôtre
, the designer of the French formal gardens at Vaux-le-Vicomte
and Versailles
that set the pattern for grand gardening in France up to the Revolution
, in spite of increasing competition from the informal English landscape style. The tradition was kept vital through apprenticeship connections in the generation following Le Nôtre's death (1700). A principal representative in this tradition was Claude Desgotz, "a worthy heir and a great talent in gardening", remarked the master teacher of architecture Jacques-François Blondel
.
As a youth Desgotz was sent to the French Academy in Rome
in the 1670s, and matured under the hand of Le Nôtre. When William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
was ambassador to Paris in 1698, he convinced Desgotz to return with him to England, where Desgotz worked out plans for the Queen's House, Greenwich and parterres for Windsor Castle
, in part bringing up to date earlier plans made by his uncle Nothing came of the English adventure, except that William III of England
, who was also Stadthouder in the Netherlands, commissioned him to draw up plans for the gardens at Het Loo
, which have recently been replanted to Desgotz' designs.
Back in France once more, he was appointed Designer of the parterres of the Royal Houses and Controller of the King's Works, doubtless due to the family connection. He was employed by Phillipe II, duc d'Orléans, the Regent during Louis XV's minority, for whom his design at the Palais Royal introduced smooth hillocks with clipped designs of palmettes, which became a familiar feature of formal French pattern-gardens in the eighteenth century.
Desgotz took on as a pupil, c. 1720-25, the Swedish architect and garden designer Carl Hårleman
, the close collaborator and correspondent of Carl Gustav Tessin . Hårleman was the prime mover in perpetuating the French formal garden in eighteenth-century Sweden.
Other pupils of André Le Nôtre were Alexandre Le Blond, the younger Michelle Bouteux and Jean-Charles Garnier d'Isle (Strandberg 1974 p.49, note 24, p. 58).
In France
Abroad
André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France...
, the designer of the French formal gardens at Vaux-le-Vicomte
Vaux-le-Vicomte
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a baroque French château located in Maincy, near Melun, 55 km southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne département of France...
and Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
that set the pattern for grand gardening in France up to the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, in spite of increasing competition from the informal English landscape style. The tradition was kept vital through apprenticeship connections in the generation following Le Nôtre's death (1700). A principal representative in this tradition was Claude Desgotz, "a worthy heir and a great talent in gardening", remarked the master teacher of architecture Jacques-François Blondel
Jacques-François Blondel
Jacques-François Blondel was a French architect. He was the grandson of François Blondel , whose course of architecture had appeared in four volumes in 1683 -Biography:...
.
As a youth Desgotz was sent to the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
in the 1670s, and matured under the hand of Le Nôtre. When William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Baron Bentinck of Diepenheim and Schoonheten, KG, PC was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. He was steady, sensible, modest...
was ambassador to Paris in 1698, he convinced Desgotz to return with him to England, where Desgotz worked out plans for the Queen's House, Greenwich and parterres for Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, in part bringing up to date earlier plans made by his uncle Nothing came of the English adventure, except that William III of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, who was also Stadthouder in the Netherlands, commissioned him to draw up plans for the gardens at Het Loo
Het Loo
Het Loo Palace is a palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The symmetrical Dutch Baroque building was designed by Jacob Roman and Johan van Swieten and was built between 1684 and 1686 for stadtholder-king William III and Mary II of England...
, which have recently been replanted to Desgotz' designs.
Back in France once more, he was appointed Designer of the parterres of the Royal Houses and Controller of the King's Works, doubtless due to the family connection. He was employed by Phillipe II, duc d'Orléans, the Regent during Louis XV's minority, for whom his design at the Palais Royal introduced smooth hillocks with clipped designs of palmettes, which became a familiar feature of formal French pattern-gardens in the eighteenth century.
Desgotz took on as a pupil, c. 1720-25, the Swedish architect and garden designer Carl Hårleman
Carl Hårleman
Baron Carl Hårleman was a Swedish architect.Hårleman was born in Stockholm, son of the garden architect and head of the royal parks and gardens Johan Hårleman, who hade been ennobled in 1698, and began his architectural training under Göran Josua Adelcrantz...
, the close collaborator and correspondent of Carl Gustav Tessin . Hårleman was the prime mover in perpetuating the French formal garden in eighteenth-century Sweden.
Other pupils of André Le Nôtre were Alexandre Le Blond, the younger Michelle Bouteux and Jean-Charles Garnier d'Isle (Strandberg 1974 p.49, note 24, p. 58).
Major projects
The following projects were identified by Runar Strandberg, 1974:In France
- Palais du Luxembourg, Paris. Replanning Jacques BoyceauJacques BoyceauJacques Boyceau, sieur de la Barauderie was a French garden designer, the superintendent of royal gardens under Louis XIII, whose posthumously-produced Traité du iardinage selon les raisons de la nature et de l'art. Ensemble divers desseins de parterres, pelouzes, bosquets et autres ornements was...
's gardens after the death of the Grande Mademoiselle (1693) - Clagny. Minor adjustments in Le Nôtre's executed design.
- RambouilletRambouilletRambouillet is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France.It is located in the suburbs of Paris southwest from the center...
(for M. Fleuriau d'Armenonville), c. 1705 - Château de Sablé (for Jean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de TorcyJean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de TorcyJean-Baptiste Colbert, marquis de Torcy , generally called Colbert de Torcy, was a French diplomat, who negotiated some of the most important treaties towards the end of Louis XIV's reign, notably the treaty that occasioned the War of the Spanish Succession , in which the dying Charles II of Spain...
), 1711. Designed the house and gardens. - Château de Champs, built 1703-07 to designs by J.-B. de Chamblain.
- Château de MeudonMeudonMeudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
, officially from 1715 - Château de Chaville, officially from 1715
- Château d'AnetChâteau d'AnetThe Château d'Anet is a château near Dreux, France, built by Philibert de l'Orme from 1547 to 1552 for Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Henry II of France...
. Monumental staircase for the duc de Venôme, and new gardens replacing the sixteenth-century parterres of Androuet du CerceauAndrouet du CerceauAndrouet du Cerceau was a family of French architects and designers active in the 16th and early 17th century.*Jacques I Androuet du Cerceau *Jean Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau...
. - Château de PerrignyPerrigny-lès-DijonPerrigny-lès-Dijon is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
, Burgundy. - Château de Bagnolet (duchesse d'Orléans), 1727.
- Palais RoyalPalais RoyalThe Palais-Royal, originally called the Palais-Cardinal, is a palace and an associated garden located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris...
, Paris (for the Regent, Philippe duc d'Orléans, and for his widow), c. 1723-1730.
Abroad
- SchleissheimSchleissheim PalaceThe Schleissheim Palace actually comprises three palaces in a grand baroque park in the village of Oberschleißheim near Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The palace was the summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria.-Old Schleissheim Palace:...
, Bavaria (for Maximilian Emmanuel, Elector of Bavaria) - Queen's House, Greenwich, England. 1698. Not executed.
- Windsor CastleWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, England. 1698. Not executed. - Het LooHet LooHet Loo Palace is a palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. The symmetrical Dutch Baroque building was designed by Jacob Roman and Johan van Swieten and was built between 1684 and 1686 for stadtholder-king William III and Mary II of England...
, Netherlands.