Hôtel d'Aumont
Encyclopedia
The Hôtel d'Aumont is a former hôtel particulier
, at 7, rue de Jouy, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris; it was built as the seat of the ducs d'Aumont
. It is sited south of the Marais
.
and father-in-law of the maréchal-duc d'Aumont, governor of Paris, found the old structure, on three adjoining properties, which he had assembled between 1619 and 1630, too old-fashioned for his requirements; though he had erected a party wall and constructed the left half of the present corps de logis as early as 1631, he rebuilt and extended it to create the present structure, built entre cour et jardin, to the designs of Louis Le Vau
. Le Vau rearranged and completely refaced the earlier structures.
When the new building was completed in 1648, it was the duc d'Aumont who came to inhabit it, and he bought it outright from his father-in-law in 1656. For him it was enlarged and enriched by the architect François Mansart
, who inserted a grand new staircase in the right wing, replaced the stairs in the corner pavilion, and provided it with decors painted by Charles Le Brun
and Simon Vouet
. The mason on-site, overseeing the new constructions was Michel Villedo. The name of André Le Nôtre
is attached to its garden à la française; a garden has been remade linking the hôtel to the quai of the Seine
.
Later, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, interior modernizations resulted in the present Cabinet neuf, currently the office of the president of the tribunal administratif.
Four ducs d'Aumont in succession lived at the hôtel, until the death in 1743 of Victoire-Félicité de Durfort-Duras, the wife of Louis-Marie-Augustin d'Aumont (1709–1782), who had married her in 1727: he sold the hôtel d'Aumont in 1756.
Several proprietors followed in succession: Charles Sandrié, attached to the Bâtiments du Roi
, then Pierre Terray, brother of the financier the abbé Terray
and procureur général of the Cour des aides until 1780. The Hôtel d'Aumont was sold by his heirs in 1795.
From 1802 until 1824, the building, in its commanding public situation, was rented to house the mairie of the arrondissement
. From 1824 to 1859, it housed the boarders of the Lycée Charlemagne
. After 1859, it became the property of the Pharmacie centrale de France and underwent some transformations: the garden was overbuilt with an assortment of service buildings, and the boiseries of the salons formed backgrounds to a variety of offices and storerooms. A history of the hôtel was issued, however, in 1903.
In 1938, the Hôtel d’Aumont was purchased by the City of Paris, and restored and classified as a monument historique
. Since 1959 the tribunal administratif of Paris has been housed in it. A radical restoration of the decayed framework was completed in 1964.
central arched porte cochère leading between ranges of stabling to the entrance court and matching end pavilion
s of three storeys, crowned with tall sloping slate roofs à la française, which are pierced with pedimented dormers. The cour d'honneur
is enclosed by the five-bay principal corps de logis
, corner pavilions and the identical flanking wings, of two storeys equal in value, of paired windows of four-over twelve panes framed in molding between lightly panelled piers. The keystones of the windows are integrated with sculptured friezes that run above them and serve as supports to the cornices, tying together all the elements of the design. Garlands of fruit and leaves, human and animal masks and carved draperies provide a rich decor.
The garden front (illustation) combines the end pavilions in a unified corps de logis with a pair of slightly projecting pavilions flanking the central three bays to break the long façade.
Hôtel particulier
In French contexts an hôtel particulier is an urban "private house" of a grand sort. Whereas an ordinary maison was built as part of a row, sharing party walls with the houses on either side and directly fronting on a street, an hôtel particulier was often free-standing, and by the 18th century it...
, at 7, rue de Jouy, in the 4th arrondissement of Paris; it was built as the seat of the ducs d'Aumont
Aumont family
The Aumont family take its name from the Duchy of Aumont, a small commune in the department of the Somme. The Duché-Pairie d'Aumont was established in 1665 from the Marquisat of Isles-en-Champagne, the title being granted to Antoine d'Aumont de Rochebaron...
. It is sited south of the Marais
Le Marais
Le Marais is a historic district in Paris, France. Long the aristocratic district of Paris, it hosts many outstanding buildings of historic and architectural importance...
.
History
At the beginning of the fifteenth century there was on part of this site a property at the Sign of the Die, belonging to the family of Cousinot, magistrates. In 1644 Michel-Antoine Scarron, conseiller du roi, and uncle of the burlesque poet Paul ScarronPaul Scarron
Paul Scarron was a French poet, dramatist, and novelist. His precise birthdate is unknown, but he was baptized on July 4, 1610...
and father-in-law of the maréchal-duc d'Aumont, governor of Paris, found the old structure, on three adjoining properties, which he had assembled between 1619 and 1630, too old-fashioned for his requirements; though he had erected a party wall and constructed the left half of the present corps de logis as early as 1631, he rebuilt and extended it to create the present structure, built entre cour et jardin, to the designs of Louis Le Vau
Louis Le Vau
Louis Le Vau was a French Classical architect who worked for Louis XIV of France. He was born and died in Paris.He was responsible, with André Le Nôtre and Charles Le Brun, for the redesign of the château of Vaux-le-Vicomte. His later works included the Palace of Versailles and his collaboration...
. Le Vau rearranged and completely refaced the earlier structures.
When the new building was completed in 1648, it was the duc d'Aumont who came to inhabit it, and he bought it outright from his father-in-law in 1656. For him it was enlarged and enriched by the architect François Mansart
François Mansart
François Mansart was a French architect credited with introducing classicism into Baroque architecture of France...
, who inserted a grand new staircase in the right wing, replaced the stairs in the corner pavilion, and provided it with decors painted by Charles Le Brun
Charles Le Brun
Charles Le Brun , a French painter and art theorist, became the all-powerful, peerless master of 17th-century French art.-Biography:-Early life and training:...
and Simon Vouet
Simon Vouet
Simon Vouet was a French painter and draftsman, who today is perhaps best remembered for helping to introduce the Italian Baroque style of painting to France.-Life:...
. The mason on-site, overseeing the new constructions was Michel Villedo. The name of André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France...
is attached to its garden à la française; a garden has been remade linking the hôtel to the quai of the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
.
Later, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, interior modernizations resulted in the present Cabinet neuf, currently the office of the president of the tribunal administratif.
Four ducs d'Aumont in succession lived at the hôtel, until the death in 1743 of Victoire-Félicité de Durfort-Duras, the wife of Louis-Marie-Augustin d'Aumont (1709–1782), who had married her in 1727: he sold the hôtel d'Aumont in 1756.
Several proprietors followed in succession: Charles Sandrié, attached to the Bâtiments du Roi
Bâtiments du Roi
The Bâtiments du Roi was a division of Department of the household of the Kings of France in France under the Ancien Régime. It was responsible for building works at the King's residences in and around Paris.-History:...
, then Pierre Terray, brother of the financier the abbé Terray
Joseph Marie Terray
Joseph Marie Terray was a Controller-General of Finances during the reign of Louis XV of France, an agent of fiscal reform, cut short by his death....
and procureur général of the Cour des aides until 1780. The Hôtel d'Aumont was sold by his heirs in 1795.
From 1802 until 1824, the building, in its commanding public situation, was rented to house the mairie of the arrondissement
Arrondissement
Arrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
. From 1824 to 1859, it housed the boarders of the Lycée Charlemagne
Lycée Charlemagne
The Lycée Charlemagne is located in the Marais quarter of the 4th arrondissement of Paris, the capital city of France.Constructed many centuries before it became a lycée, the building originally served as the home of the Order of the Jesuits...
. After 1859, it became the property of the Pharmacie centrale de France and underwent some transformations: the garden was overbuilt with an assortment of service buildings, and the boiseries of the salons formed backgrounds to a variety of offices and storerooms. A history of the hôtel was issued, however, in 1903.
In 1938, the Hôtel d’Aumont was purchased by the City of Paris, and restored and classified as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
. Since 1959 the tribunal administratif of Paris has been housed in it. A radical restoration of the decayed framework was completed in 1964.
Architecture
The street front in the rue de Jouy presents a symmetrical, austerely unornamented range of two-storey buildings with a rusticatedRustication (architecture)
thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
central arched porte cochère leading between ranges of stabling to the entrance court and matching end pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
s of three storeys, crowned with tall sloping slate roofs à la française, which are pierced with pedimented dormers. The cour d'honneur
Cour d'Honneur
Cour d'Honneur is the architectural term for defining a three-sided courtyard, created when the main central block, or corps de logis, is flanked by symmetrical advancing secondary wings, containing minor rooms...
is enclosed by the five-bay principal corps de logis
Corps de logis
Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large, usually classical, mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry. The grandest and finest rooms are often on the first floor above the ground level: this floor is the...
, corner pavilions and the identical flanking wings, of two storeys equal in value, of paired windows of four-over twelve panes framed in molding between lightly panelled piers. The keystones of the windows are integrated with sculptured friezes that run above them and serve as supports to the cornices, tying together all the elements of the design. Garlands of fruit and leaves, human and animal masks and carved draperies provide a rich decor.
The garden front (illustation) combines the end pavilions in a unified corps de logis with a pair of slightly projecting pavilions flanking the central three bays to break the long façade.