Menus-Plaisirs du Roi
Encyclopedia
The Menus-Plaisirs du Roi (məny pleziʁ dy ʁwa) was, in the organisation of the French
royal household under the Ancien Régime, the department of the Maison du Roi
responsible for the "lesser pleasures of the King", which meant in practice that it was in charge of all the preparations for ceremonies, events and festivities, down to the last detail of design and order.
, the premier gentilhomme de la chambre, the "first gentleman of the bedchamber
", controller of the Menus-Plaisirs, was invariably in attendance, to hear directly from the king what plans were to be set in motion; by long-standing convention, he was a duke; though he was not a professional, it was up to him to determine the appropriate designs. The duke in charge of the Menus-Plaisirs was an important court official, quite separate from the Surintendant des Bâtiments du Roi
, who was an architect or functionary in charge of all building operations undertaken by the Crown. The dukes in charge might leave the design process entirely to the professional Intendant in charge, whose right-hand man was the dessinateur du cabinet et de la chambre du Roy; so did two dukes with military careers, Louis-François-Armand du Plessis, duc de Richelieu
(1696-1788), appointed premier gentilhomme in 1744 and Emmanuel-Félicité, duc de Durfort-Duras (1715-89), made premier gentilhomme (and pair de France) in 1757. But Louis-Marie-Augustin, duc d'Aumont (1709-82), appointed premier gentilhomme de chambre in 1723, a position he held until the king's death in 1774, was a noted connoisseur of objets d'art and the arts of life, though not, apparently, of paintings. The duc d'Aumont appointed the renowned gilt-bronze maker Pierre Gouthière
doreur ordinaire des Menus-Plaisirs in 1767 and appointed the architect Bellanger to the Menus-Plaisirs in the same year. For most of the reign of Louis XVI, the Intendant of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi was Papillon de la Ferté, whose journal (published in 1887) throws a great deal of light on the organization of court ceremony.
s and ballet
s, for the structures that supported fireworks and illuminations on nights of grand fêtes for dynastic marriages and births, or to design the catafalque
for a state funeral. Architects like Leonardo
, Giulio Romano
and Inigo Jones
were engaged in projects that were of great moment in expressing the prestige of the court, but which have left little behind, except designs and some commemorative engravings, produced under the supervision of the Cabinet du Roi. The architect Charles-Nicolas Cochin
worked for several years for the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi, 1735-51, making detailed renderings for the engravers of architectural designs by the Slodtz brothers. and François-Joseph Bélanger
began his career in 1767 working at the Menus-Plaisirs, both designing ephemeral decorations for court entertainments.
In the later reign of Louis XIV
, the architect in charge of the Bâtiments was Jules Hardouin-Mansart, but the wholly independent artistic force at the menus-plaisirs until his death in 1711 was Jean Bérain
, whose brevet in 1674 covered his responsibilities "for all sorts of designs, perspectives, figures and costumes that it would be required to make for plays, ballets, chases at the ring, carousel
s..." The purview of the Menus-Plaisirs did not normally extend to furniture, but among its expenses in 1692 were "the Furniture and the silversmiths' work for the apartments of the King"
, who gave formal structure to all the official arts under Louis XIV. The Cabinet du Roi provided the commemorative engravings, which are often our only record, and sold them. The functions of design and commemoration overlapped, needless to say. The position was extremely influential: both Jean Bérain
and his son, and later Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier
, the genius of the extreme rococo
, followed by the Slodtz brothers, one after another, 1750-64. The appointment of the neo-classical architect-designer Michel-Ange Challe in 1764 marked a turning point: through his designs for the Menus-Plaisirs, neoclassicism
was introduced at the French court.
in 1769, well in advance of the wedding. It was delivered on 1 May 1770.
at the Saint-Laurent Fair.
In 1784 Papillon de la Ferté
organized the École royale de musique, where the Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs was completed in 1811. Under the French Second Empire the revived Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs was an officially-supported theatre in Paris.
Out of the music supplied by the Menus-Plaisirs developed the Conservatoire of Paris
(1727-1794) describes as well the ordinary expenses, for the Menus-Plaisirs dispensed the salaries of the Premiers Gentilshommes de la Chambre, the Grand Maître de la Garde-Robe, the king's doctor, the médecin de la Chambre, the personnel of the Menus-Plaisirs and the king's musicians. Ordinary expenses entailed the constant renewal of the King's wardrobe and that of the Dauphin, religious ceremonies of all kinds, the king's carriages, small royal gifts like snuffboxes, tents and pavilions for outdoor events.
Under Louis XV a structure was erected in the town of Versailles
to house the multiple activities of the Menus-Plaisirs. It still stands, at 22, avenue de Paris, now rendered famous as the site of the Estates-General of 1789
, at which the opening moves of the French Revolution
were played out. A provisionally fitted-out space was arranged in the building to seat the Assembly of Notable in 1787, and again in 1788. Then, to accommodate the press of representatives of the three estates, in the Estate-General, a grander but still temporary Salle des États designed by Pierre-Adrien Pâris
was set up in one of the two courtyards of the Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs.
, who lived in it for sixteen years. After his death, the structure was enlarged and converted into a site for spectacles and concerts, taking its new name, and served to house members of the imperial family: here the future Peter the Great received his elementary education.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
royal household under the Ancien Régime, the department of the Maison du Roi
Maison du Roi
The Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration; the exact composition and duties of its various divisions changed constantly over the Early Modern period...
responsible for the "lesser pleasures of the King", which meant in practice that it was in charge of all the preparations for ceremonies, events and festivities, down to the last detail of design and order.
The controller of the Menus-Plaisirs
At the king's leverLevee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
, the premier gentilhomme de la chambre, the "first gentleman of the bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber
A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain.-Description and functions:...
", controller of the Menus-Plaisirs, was invariably in attendance, to hear directly from the king what plans were to be set in motion; by long-standing convention, he was a duke; though he was not a professional, it was up to him to determine the appropriate designs. The duke in charge of the Menus-Plaisirs was an important court official, quite separate from the Surintendant des 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:...
, who was an architect or functionary in charge of all building operations undertaken by the Crown. The dukes in charge might leave the design process entirely to the professional Intendant in charge, whose right-hand man was the dessinateur du cabinet et de la chambre du Roy; so did two dukes with military careers, Louis-François-Armand du Plessis, duc de Richelieu
Louis François Armand du Plessis, duc de Richelieu
Armand de Vignerot du Plessis was a French soldier, diplomat and statesman. Joining the army, he participated in three major wars and eventually rose to the rank of Marshal of France....
(1696-1788), appointed premier gentilhomme in 1744 and Emmanuel-Félicité, duc de Durfort-Duras (1715-89), made premier gentilhomme (and pair de France) in 1757. But Louis-Marie-Augustin, duc d'Aumont (1709-82), appointed premier gentilhomme de chambre in 1723, a position he held until the king's death in 1774, was a noted connoisseur of objets d'art and the arts of life, though not, apparently, of paintings. The duc d'Aumont appointed the renowned gilt-bronze maker Pierre Gouthière
Pierre Gouthière
Pierre Gouthière , French metal worker, was born at Bar-sur-Aube and went to Paris at an early age as the pupil of Martin Cour....
doreur ordinaire des Menus-Plaisirs in 1767 and appointed the architect Bellanger to the Menus-Plaisirs in the same year. For most of the reign of Louis XVI, the Intendant of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi was Papillon de la Ferté, whose journal (published in 1887) throws a great deal of light on the organization of court ceremony.
Design
Many designers were required at the Menus-Plaisirs. From the sixteenth century on, a main responsibility of court architects in Europe was the occasional design of lavish ephemeral settings for processional entries, for masqueMasque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
s and ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s, for the structures that supported fireworks and illuminations on nights of grand fêtes for dynastic marriages and births, or to design the catafalque
Catafalque
A catafalque is a raised bier, soapbox, or similar platform, often movable, that is used to support the casket, coffin, or body of the deceased during a funeral or memorial service. Following a Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, a catafalque may be used to stand in place of the body at the Absolution of...
for a state funeral. Architects like Leonardo
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
, Giulio Romano
Giulio Romano
Giulio Romano was an Italian painter and architect. A pupil of Raphael, his stylistic deviations from high Renaissance classicism help define the 16th-century style known as Mannerism...
and Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
were engaged in projects that were of great moment in expressing the prestige of the court, but which have left little behind, except designs and some commemorative engravings, produced under the supervision of the Cabinet du Roi. The architect Charles-Nicolas Cochin
Charles-Nicolas Cochin
Charles-Nicolas Cochin was a French engraver, designer, writer, and art critic. To distinguish him from his father of the same name, he is variously called Charles-Nicolas Cochin le Jeune , Charles-Nicolas Cochin le fils , or Charles-Nicolas Cochin II.-Early life:Cochin was born in Paris, the son of...
worked for several years for the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi, 1735-51, making detailed renderings for the engravers of architectural designs by the Slodtz brothers. and François-Joseph Bélanger
François-Joseph Bélanger
François-Joseph Bélanger was a French architect and decorator working in the Neoclassic style.Born in Paris, he studied at the Académie Royale d'Architecture where he worked under Julien-David Le Roy and Pierre Contant d'Ivry, but did not win the coveted Prix de Rome that would have sent him to...
began his career in 1767 working at the Menus-Plaisirs, both designing ephemeral decorations for court entertainments.
In the later reign of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, the architect in charge of the Bâtiments was Jules Hardouin-Mansart, but the wholly independent artistic force at the menus-plaisirs until his death in 1711 was Jean Bérain
Jean Bérain
Jean Bérain may refer to:* Jean Bérain the Elder * Jean Bérain the Younger...
, whose brevet in 1674 covered his responsibilities "for all sorts of designs, perspectives, figures and costumes that it would be required to make for plays, ballets, chases at the ring, carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
s..." The purview of the Menus-Plaisirs did not normally extend to furniture, but among its expenses in 1692 were "the Furniture and the silversmiths' work for the apartments of the King"
Personnel
Within the Menus-Plaisirs, a hierarchical structure prevailed, with an Intendant supervising the whole and a Dessinateur de la Chambre et du Cabinet du Roi in charge of the orderly production of designs. The Cabinet du Roi—in the seventeenth-century sense of cabinet as collection of works of art and curiosities—was organized by ColbertColbert
Colbert is a common surname and rare given name of Old French and Old German origins; it was introduced to Britain by the Normans.Colbert most commonly refers to:*Stephen Colbert , American comedian and television show host...
, who gave formal structure to all the official arts under Louis XIV. The Cabinet du Roi provided the commemorative engravings, which are often our only record, and sold them. The functions of design and commemoration overlapped, needless to say. The position was extremely influential: both Jean Bérain
Jean Bérain
Jean Bérain may refer to:* Jean Bérain the Elder * Jean Bérain the Younger...
and his son, and later Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier
Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier
Juste Aurèle Meissonier was a French goldsmith, sculptor, painter, architect, and furniture designer.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...
, the genius of the extreme rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
, followed by the Slodtz brothers, one after another, 1750-64. The appointment of the neo-classical architect-designer Michel-Ange Challe in 1764 marked a turning point: through his designs for the Menus-Plaisirs, neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
was introduced at the French court.
Limits
The Menus-Plaisirs were not in charge of the essential furniture of the royal palaces, which were the province of the Garde-Meuble de la Couronne. An exception is instructive: the design of the jewel cabinet made as a wedding present for the wedding of the Dauphin Louis to Marie-Antoinette was considered part of the design of the festivities as a whole; thus in the Menus-Plaisirs, the design was entrusted by the duc d'Aumont to BelangerBelanger
Bélanger is a Norman and Anglo-Norman surname that derives from the Old French given name Berenger, which is of Germanic origin. In the English-speaking parts of North America, Bélanger has been anglicized to Belanger or occasionally to Belonger....
in 1769, well in advance of the wedding. It was delivered on 1 May 1770.
Music
The music required for these entertainments was also a concern of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi. Towards the end of Louis XV's reign, the music section was established in premises on the Rue Bergère which included what had previously been the theatre of the Opéra-ComiqueOpéra-Comique
The Opéra-Comique is a Parisian opera company, which was founded around 1714 by some of the popular theatres of the Parisian fairs. In 1762 the company was merged with, and for a time took the name of its chief rival the Comédie-Italienne at the Hôtel de Bourgogne, and was also called the...
at the Saint-Laurent Fair.
In 1784 Papillon de la Ferté
Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté
Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté was a connoisseur of art and an administrator of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi, the organization in the royal household that was responsible for the design and presentation of fêtes and ceremonies, weddings and...
organized the École royale de musique, where the Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs was completed in 1811. Under the French Second Empire the revived Théâtre des Menus-Plaisirs was an officially-supported theatre in Paris.
Out of the music supplied by the Menus-Plaisirs developed the Conservatoire of Paris
Expenses
In addition to these extraordinary expenses, which interest the historian of taste, the journal of the last Intendant of the Menus-Plaisirs, Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la FertéDenis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté
Denis-Pierre-Jean Papillon de la Ferté was a connoisseur of art and an administrator of the Menus-Plaisirs du Roi, the organization in the royal household that was responsible for the design and presentation of fêtes and ceremonies, weddings and...
(1727-1794) describes as well the ordinary expenses, for the Menus-Plaisirs dispensed the salaries of the Premiers Gentilshommes de la Chambre, the Grand Maître de la Garde-Robe, the king's doctor, the médecin de la Chambre, the personnel of the Menus-Plaisirs and the king's musicians. Ordinary expenses entailed the constant renewal of the King's wardrobe and that of the Dauphin, religious ceremonies of all kinds, the king's carriages, small royal gifts like snuffboxes, tents and pavilions for outdoor events.
Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs du Roi in Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
to house the multiple activities of the Menus-Plaisirs. It still stands, at 22, avenue de Paris, now rendered famous as the site of the Estates-General of 1789
Estates-General of 1789
The Estates-General of 1789 was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates-General, a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the nobility, the Church, and the common people...
, at which the opening moves of the French 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...
were played out. A provisionally fitted-out space was arranged in the building to seat the Assembly of Notable in 1787, and again in 1788. Then, to accommodate the press of representatives of the three estates, in the Estate-General, a grander but still temporary Salle des États designed by Pierre-Adrien Pâris
Pierre-Adrien Pâris
Pierre-Adrien Pâris was a French architect, painter and designer.-Life:He was born at Besançon, the son of an architect and official surveyor at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Basel...
was set up in one of the two courtyards of the Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs.
Menus-Plaisirs at the court of Russia
In Moscow, near the Kremlin's walls, between the Komendantskaïa Tower and the Troïtskaïa Tower, stands the Palais des Menus Plaisirs (Потёшный Дворец or Потёшный Двор), built in 1652 for the father-in-law of Tsar Alexis, the boyar Ilya MiloslavskyIlya Miloslavsky
Ilya Danilovich Miloslavsky was a Russian boyar and diplomat.Ilya Miloslavsky was brought forward by the head of the Posolsky Prikaz Ivan Gramotin, who had been his uncle. Miloslavsky was soon sent to Constantinople with a message from tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who wanted to establish a cordial...
, who lived in it for sixteen years. After his death, the structure was enlarged and converted into a site for spectacles and concerts, taking its new name, and served to house members of the imperial family: here the future Peter the Great received his elementary education.