Philibert de l'Orme
Philibert de l'Orme arrived in the world between the 3rd and the 9th of June 1514 within the bustling city of Lyon. His father Jehan de L'Orme operated as a master mason who employed three hundred workers during the 1530s to construct prestigious buildings for the local elite. The young Philibert left his hometown at age nineteen to travel across the Alps into Italy. He spent three years working on building projects commissioned by Pope Paul III in Rome. During this period he met Cardinal Jean du Bellay, the Ambassador of King François I to the Vatican. This cardinal became both his protector and client while introducing him to influential circles. Du Bellay also supported the writer Francois Rabelais, creating a network that would shape de l'Orme's future career.
On the 3rd of April 1548 Henry II named Philibert de l'Orme as an architect of the King. For eleven years he supervised all royal architectural projects except changes to the Louvre which were handled by Pierre Lescot. Major commissions included the Château de St Maur-des-Fossés and the Château d'Anet built for Diane de Poitiers. He also worked on the Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley and the royal Château de Madrid located in the Bois de Boulogne. His innovations extended beyond design into practical construction methods. In 1555 he demonstrated a new system called charpente à petits bois before the King. This technique used much less wood than previous methods while remaining quicker and less expensive. He applied this method at the new royal Château de Montceaux and at the hunting lodge in the Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
The death of Henry II of France occurred on the 10th of July 1559 leaving de l'Orme without a patron. Two days later on July 12th he was dismissed from his official posts. An Italian artist named Francesco Primaticcio replaced him with work that was then very fashionable. De l'Orme joined a religious order and turned toward meditation and scholarship instead of building. He traveled back to Rome to inspect new works created by Michelangelo. Beginning in 1565 he wrote the first volume of an architectural theory treatise that combined scientific and philosophical ideas. The book published in 1567 became a significant text followed by new editions after his death in 1576. Additional versions appeared in 1626 and 1648 ensuring his theories reached future generations of architects.
Under Charles IX and Catherine de Medici Philibert de l'Orme returned to royal favor around 1563. He worked on enlarging the Chateau of Saint Maur during that same year. Alongside Jean Bullant he contributed additions to the Tuileries Palace starting in 1564. Catherine de' Medici had begun her own building projects at the site earlier. De l'Orme died in Paris in 1570 while this major project remained underway. His final years were marked by intense labor on the palace expansion before his passing. The Tuileries Palace would later become a central symbol of French royal power despite its eventual demolition.
During the reign of Louis XIV de l'Orme's reputation suffered significantly as styles shifted away from his work. The grand stairway he built at the Tuileries Palace was demolished in 1664 to make room for classical structures. His Château de Saint-Léger also disappeared in 1668 under similar circumstances. In 1683 François Blondel of the Royal Academy denounced him for what he called villainous Gothic ornaments and petty mannerisms. Despite these attacks his two major theoretical works continued serving as important textbooks throughout the centuries. They were regularly republished and read by students and professionals alike. A revival began in the 18th century through writings by Dezallier d'Argenville who claimed de l'Orme abandoned Gothic covering to redress French architecture toward Ancient Greece styles. Later academic works emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries by historians including H. Clouzot and Anthony Blunt.
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Common questions
When and where was Philibert de l'Orme born?
Philibert de l'Orme arrived in the world between the 3rd and the 9th of June 1514 within the bustling city of Lyon. His father Jehan de L'Orme operated as a master mason who employed three hundred workers during the 1530s to construct prestigious buildings for the local elite.
What architectural innovations did Philibert de l'Orme introduce to France?
In 1555 he demonstrated a new system called charpente à petits bois before the King. This technique used much less wood than previous methods while remaining quicker and less expensive. He applied this method at the new royal Château de Montceaux and at the hunting lodge in the Forest of Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Why did Philibert de l'Orme lose his position as architect of the King?
The death of Henry II of France occurred on the 10th of July 1559 leaving de l'Orme without a patron. Two days later on July 12th he was dismissed from his official posts. An Italian artist named Francesco Primaticcio replaced him with work that was then very fashionable.
Which major building projects did Philibert de l'Orme complete under Henry II?
Major commissions included the Château de St Maur-des-Fossés and the Château d'Anet built for Diane de Poitiers. He also worked on the Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley and the royal Château de Madrid located in the Bois de Boulogne. For eleven years he supervised all royal architectural projects except changes to the Louvre which were handled by Pierre Lescot.
When did Philibert de l'Orme die and what happened to his reputation after his death?
De l'Orme died in Paris in 1570 while this major project remained underway. During the reign of Louis XIV de l'Orme's reputation suffered significantly as styles shifted away from his work. The grand stairway he built at the Tuileries Palace was demolished in 1664 to make room for classical structures.