Nicolas-Henri Jardin
Encyclopedia
Nicolas-Henri Jardin neoclassical
architect
, was born in St. Germain des Noyers, Dept. Seine-et-Marne
, France
, and worked seventeen years in Denmark
as an architect to the royal court. He introduced neoclassicism to Denmark.
(Académie Francaise) no later than in 1738, perhaps before. He studied under A.C. Mollet, and won the grand prize (Prix de Rome
) for architecture at 22 years of age for his design of a choir or chancel
in a cathedral
.
The prize won him a travel stipend, which he used to travel to Italy in 1744. There he studied at the French Academy in Rome
1744-1748, while living at the Academy’s pension. At the same time he studied mathematics and geometry with Jesuit priest and physicist Ruggero Joseph Boscovich, and graphics presumably with Giuseppe Vasi
. He may also have studied engineering while in Rome.
In Italy he was friends with fellow countryman, sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly
who was also on student tour at the time. Saly would play an important role in his future only a few years later. They were both influenced by contemporary Giovanni Battista Piranesi
, and the current infatuation with Roman ruins
that were seen as a reminder of a common European past, and could be the inspiration for a new universal design style.
He was resident architect with Michel Tannevot in Paris 1753-1754.
who had been summoned to work in Denmark
in 1752 for the royal court, brought Jardin to the attention of King Frederik V
as the suitable choice to replace Nicolai Eigtved
for the design and building of Frederik's Church
(Frederikskirke), now known as The Marble Church (Marmorkirken), work on which had begun in 1749. A contract to bring Jardin to Denmark was concluded on 12 October 1754, a few months after Eigtved’s death, and included a considerable annual wage for both him and his young, inexperienced brother Louis Henri Jardin.
The brothers came to Copenhagen that same autumn, and they both were named members of the Royal Danish Academy of Art
(Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) on 15 January 1755. They were also named professors at the school of the Academy, where story goes, on account of their inability to speak Danish, they held lectures in French
to an audience of students that didn’t understand them. This was, however, not unusual at the time, as many of the Academy's teachers were foreigners, especially French, including its Director, friend Jacques Saly. Nicolas-Henri was professor in architecture, and his brother was professor in perspective from 1755.
and Étienne-Louis Boullée
. The plans, however, were rejected on account of the exorbitant expense required to carry them out.
He presented a new set of drawings at Fredensborg Palace
summer 1756, which the King accepted, in spite of the Royal Building Commission's opinion that these plans also were too expensive. The King committed funds to the project, although full funding was never realised.
The plans were monumental, and work went slowly. In 1760 after predecessor Lauritz de Thurah
’s death, Nicolas-Henri was named Royal Building Master with responsibility over all royal castles and buildings, as well as parks in Denmark, a position he held until 1770.
He also took over the interior decoration (1756-1759) of powerful statesman and leader Court Marshal (Hofmarshal) Adam Gottlob Moltke
’s palace, the Moltke Palace, today known as Christian VII’s Palace, at Amalienborg
, after Nicolai Eigtved died in 1754.
His younger brother died at Charlottenborg 1759 at the age of 29. Nicolas-Henri overtook his teaching position.
Prior to 1760 he became an honorary member of the academies in Florence
and Bologna
.
In 1759 he began work on Bernstorff Palace
near Gentofte
(1759–1765) and Lundehave, now known as Marienlyst Castle
in Helsingør
(1758–1762). The work on the garden at Bernstorff Palace, done in cooperation with Joachim Wasserschlebe took until 1768 to complete.
In 1762 he became a corresponding member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. 1762–1763 he traveled to France.
In 1764 Frederick’s Church stood only 9.4 meters above the foundation.
In 1765 he published a large folio
of copperplate etchings called "Plans, coupés et elevations de l'église royale de Frédéric V".
became king. 1768-1769 he traveled to France, England, Holland and Belgium, partly in the company of Johannes Wiedewelt
. Prior to 1769 he became an honorary member of the Academy in Marseille. In 1769 he received the Order of Saint Michael
in France.
In 1770 it was estimated that, at the then current rate of building activity, the Frederik’s Church exterior would not be complete until 1797, and the interior would take a further 50 years to complete. Due to Johann Friedrich Struensee
’s cost cutting measures, a royal resolution was made on 9 November 1770 that building activity would be stopped for a period of time. Scaffolding, machines and material were sold at public auction
, and Jardin was relieved of his duty as Church Building Master with severance pay.
, Georg Erdmann Rosenberg, Christian Josef Zuber, and Hans Næss
.
His friend and Director of the Academy for over 17 years, Jacques Saly, resigned from his post three months later. Jardin was named an extraordinary member of the Academy in 1772.
On 23 December 1771 he became a member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. On 11 May 1778 he was named Royal Architect by King Louis XV
. On 10 March 1792 he became a member first class of the French Academy of Art in Paris.
During the French Revolution
’s Reign of Terror
(1793-1794) Jardin retired to his home town. He died in 1799.
While new plans were again proposed to continue work on Frederik's Church by Caspar Frederik Harsdorff
in 1795, no actual construction would begin until Ferdinand Meldahl took over the reins of leadership in 1874.
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...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, was born in St. Germain des Noyers, Dept. Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
, France
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...
, and worked seventeen years in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
as an architect to the royal court. He introduced neoclassicism to Denmark.
Early training and student tour to Italy
According to Jardin’s own statement he began his architectural studies at the age of ten. It is confirmed by independent source that he started his training at the French Academy of ArtAcadémie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
(Académie Francaise) no later than in 1738, perhaps before. He studied under A.C. Mollet, and won the grand prize (Prix de Rome
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
) for architecture at 22 years of age for his design of a choir or chancel
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
in a cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
.
The prize won him a travel stipend, which he used to travel to Italy in 1744. There he studied at 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:...
1744-1748, while living at the Academy’s pension. At the same time he studied mathematics and geometry with Jesuit priest and physicist Ruggero Joseph Boscovich, and graphics presumably with Giuseppe Vasi
Giuseppe Vasi
Giuseppe Vasi was an Italian engraver and architect, best known for his vedute.He was born in Corleone, Sicily and later moved to Rome. From 1746 to 1761 he published a series of ten volumes including 240 engravings of vedute of Rome...
. He may also have studied engineering while in Rome.
In Italy he was friends with fellow countryman, sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly
Jacques Saly
Jacques François Joseph Saly, also known as Jacques Saly , French-born sculptor who worked in France, Denmark, and Italy, was born in Valenciennes to Francois Marie Saly and wife Marie Michelle....
who was also on student tour at the time. Saly would play an important role in his future only a few years later. They were both influenced by contemporary Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Giovanni Battista Piranesi
Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an Italian artist famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric "prisons" .-His Life:...
, and the current infatuation with Roman ruins
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
that were seen as a reminder of a common European past, and could be the inspiration for a new universal design style.
He was resident architect with Michel Tannevot in Paris 1753-1754.
Iconography
- A painting by Jean BarbaultJean BarbaultJean Barbault, a French painter and engraver, who resided some time at Rome, was born about 1705. As a painter he is little known, but he etched a set of prints of 'Les plus beaux Monuments de Rome ancienne,' as well as two other series of archaeological plates. He likewise executed a few...
showing Jardin as Ambassador of Persia, Beauvais, musée départemental de l'Oise, for the Masacarade of 1748.
Royal invitation to work in Denmark
His friend and countryman, sculptor Jacques François Joseph SalyJacques Saly
Jacques François Joseph Saly, also known as Jacques Saly , French-born sculptor who worked in France, Denmark, and Italy, was born in Valenciennes to Francois Marie Saly and wife Marie Michelle....
who had been summoned to work in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
in 1752 for the royal court, brought Jardin to the attention of King Frederik V
Frederick V of Denmark
Frederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
as the suitable choice to replace Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved, , Danish architect, introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo style in Danish architecture during the 1730s-1740s. He designed and built some of the most prominent buildings of his time, a number of which still stand to this day...
for the design and building of Frederik's Church
Frederik's Church
Frederick's Church , popularly known as The Marble Church is a church in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of Amalienborg Palace....
(Frederikskirke), now known as The Marble Church (Marmorkirken), work on which had begun in 1749. A contract to bring Jardin to Denmark was concluded on 12 October 1754, a few months after Eigtved’s death, and included a considerable annual wage for both him and his young, inexperienced brother Louis Henri Jardin.
The brothers came to Copenhagen that same autumn, and they both were named members of the Royal Danish Academy of Art
Royal Danish Academy of Art
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has provided a practice-oriented complement to the scholarly investigation of the arts carried out at Danish universities for more than 250 years, playing a crucial part in the development of the distinctive tradition of the art of Denmark.- History :The Royal...
(Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi) on 15 January 1755. They were also named professors at the school of the Academy, where story goes, on account of their inability to speak Danish, they held lectures in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
to an audience of students that didn’t understand them. This was, however, not unusual at the time, as many of the Academy's teachers were foreigners, especially French, including its Director, friend Jacques Saly. Nicolas-Henri was professor in architecture, and his brother was professor in perspective from 1755.
Frederik’s Church and other assignments
On 1 April 1756 Jardin took over project leadership on Frederik’s Church. His first set of building drawings were different from anything one had previously seen in Denmark, and anticipated the later styles of Claude Nicolas LedouxClaude Nicolas Ledoux
Claude-Nicolas Ledoux was one of the earliest exponents of French Neoclassical architecture. He used his knowledge of architectural theory to design not only in domestic architecture but town planning; as a consequence of his visionary plan for the Ideal City of Chaux, he became known as a utopian...
and Étienne-Louis Boullée
Étienne-Louis Boullée
Étienne-Louis Boullée was a visionary French neoclassical architect whose work greatly influenced contemporary architects and is still influential today.- Life :...
. The plans, however, were rejected on account of the exorbitant expense required to carry them out.
He presented a new set of drawings at Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace
Fredensborg Palace, , is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the Danish Royal Family’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the Royal Family...
summer 1756, which the King accepted, in spite of the Royal Building Commission's opinion that these plans also were too expensive. The King committed funds to the project, although full funding was never realised.
The plans were monumental, and work went slowly. In 1760 after predecessor Lauritz de Thurah
Lauritz de Thurah
Laurids Lauridsen de Thurah, known as Lauritz de Thurah , was a Danish architect and architectural writer. He became the most important Danish architect of the late baroque period...
’s death, Nicolas-Henri was named Royal Building Master with responsibility over all royal castles and buildings, as well as parks in Denmark, a position he held until 1770.
He also took over the interior decoration (1756-1759) of powerful statesman and leader Court Marshal (Hofmarshal) Adam Gottlob Moltke
Adam Gottlob Moltke
Count Adam Gottlob Moltke , Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, born at Riesenhof in Mecklenburg.-Early life:...
’s palace, the Moltke Palace, today known as Christian VII’s Palace, at Amalienborg
Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's...
, after Nicolai Eigtved died in 1754.
His younger brother died at Charlottenborg 1759 at the age of 29. Nicolas-Henri overtook his teaching position.
Prior to 1760 he became an honorary member of the academies in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
.
In 1759 he began work on Bernstorff Palace
Bernstorff Palace
Bernstorff Palace, Danish: Bernstorff Slot, in Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark, was built in the middle of the 18th century for Foreign Minister Johann Hartwig Ernst, Count von Bernstorff. It remained in the possession of the Bernstorff family until 1812. In 1842 it was bought by Christian VIII...
near Gentofte
Gentofte
Gentofte Kommune is a municipality in the Capital Region of Denmark on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of , and has a total population of 68,913...
(1759–1765) and Lundehave, now known as Marienlyst Castle
Marienlyst Castle
Marienlyst Castle, Danish Marienlyst Slot, is a palacial residence located in Helsingør, Denmark. It was named after King Frederik V of Denmark's second wife, Juliana Maria the queen consort of Denmark and Norway. The building formerly served as a royal pavilion of Kronborg Castle and was mostly...
in Helsingør
Elsinore
Helsingør is a city and the municipal seat of Helsingør municipality on the northeast coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Helsingør has a population of 46,279 including the southern suburbs of Snekkersten and Espergærde...
(1758–1762). The work on the garden at Bernstorff Palace, done in cooperation with Joachim Wasserschlebe took until 1768 to complete.
In 1762 he became a corresponding member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. 1762–1763 he traveled to France.
In 1764 Frederick’s Church stood only 9.4 meters above the foundation.
In 1765 he published a large folio
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
of copperplate etchings called "Plans, coupés et elevations de l'église royale de Frédéric V".
A change in the royal chambers
King Frederik V, his loyal supporter, died on 14 January 1766 and the young, unstable Christian VIIChristian VII of Denmark
Christian VII was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death. He was the son of Danish King Frederick V and his first consort Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain....
became king. 1768-1769 he traveled to France, England, Holland and Belgium, partly in the company of Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt , Danish neoclassical sculptor, was born in Copenhagen to royal sculptor to the Danish Court, Just Wiedewelt, and his wife Birgitte Lauridsdatter...
. Prior to 1769 he became an honorary member of the Academy in Marseille. In 1769 he received the Order of Saint Michael
Order of Saint Michael
The Order of Saint Michael was a French chivalric order, founded by Louis XI of France in 1469, in competitive response to the Burgundian Order of the Golden Fleece founded by Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, Louis' chief competitor for the allegiance of the great houses of France, the Dukes of...
in France.
In 1770 it was estimated that, at the then current rate of building activity, the Frederik’s Church exterior would not be complete until 1797, and the interior would take a further 50 years to complete. Due to Johann Friedrich Struensee
Johann Friedrich Struensee
Count Johann Friedrich Struensee was a German doctor. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish government. He rose in power to a position of “de facto” regent of the country, where he tried to carry out widespread reforms...
’s cost cutting measures, a royal resolution was made on 9 November 1770 that building activity would be stopped for a period of time. Scaffolding, machines and material were sold at public auction
Public auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
, and Jardin was relieved of his duty as Church Building Master with severance pay.
Departure from Denmark, return to France
Struensee fell from power at the beginning of 1771, and the country's general mood turned against all foreigners in positions of power. Jardin resigned his professorship at the Academy on 26 March 1771 and left Denmark. His students at the Academy had included Caspar Frederik HarsdorffCaspar Frederik Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff, also known as C.F. Harsdorff, , Danish neoclassical architect is considered to be Denmark’s leading architect in the late 18th century, and is referred to as “The Father of Danish Classicism”.- Early life and training :He was born Caspar Frederik Harsdørffer in...
, Georg Erdmann Rosenberg, Christian Josef Zuber, and Hans Næss
Hans Næss
Hans Henrik Stoermann Næss was a Norwegian sailor who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics.He was born and died in Bergen....
.
His friend and Director of the Academy for over 17 years, Jacques Saly, resigned from his post three months later. Jardin was named an extraordinary member of the Academy in 1772.
On 23 December 1771 he became a member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. On 11 May 1778 he was named Royal Architect by King Louis XV
Louis XV of France
Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...
. On 10 March 1792 he became a member first class of the French Academy of Art in Paris.
During 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...
’s Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
(1793-1794) Jardin retired to his home town. He died in 1799.
While new plans were again proposed to continue work on Frederik's Church by Caspar Frederik Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff, also known as C.F. Harsdorff, , Danish neoclassical architect is considered to be Denmark’s leading architect in the late 18th century, and is referred to as “The Father of Danish Classicism”.- Early life and training :He was born Caspar Frederik Harsdørffer in...
in 1795, no actual construction would begin until Ferdinand Meldahl took over the reins of leadership in 1874.
Selected works
- Yellow MansionYellow Mansion, CopenhagenThe Yellow Palace , or Bergum's Mansion, is a mansion in Amaliegade next to Amalienborg Palace in the Frederiksstaden district of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is considered the first example of Neoclassical architecture in Copenhagen....
, AmaliegadeAmaliegadeAmaliegade is a street in central Copenhagen, Denmark, which makes up the longer of the two axes on which the Rococo district Frederiksstaden is centred...
, Copenhagen (1764-1767) - Interior work at Christiansborg PalaceChristiansborg PalaceChristiansborg Palace, , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, is the seat of the Folketing , the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court...
(1761-1767), especially decoration of the Great Hall (1765-1766), which burned down in the fire of 1794. - Redesign of Fredensborg PalaceFredensborg PalaceFredensborg Palace, , is a palace located on the eastern shore of Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It is the Danish Royal Family’s spring and autumn residence, and is often the site of important state visits and events in the Royal Family...
Garden and Park (1759-1766), along with Johannes WiedeweltJohannes WiedeweltJohannes Wiedewelt , Danish neoclassical sculptor, was born in Copenhagen to royal sculptor to the Danish Court, Just Wiedewelt, and his wife Birgitte Lauridsdatter...
. - Redesign of summer residence at Bernstorff PalaceBernstorff PalaceBernstorff Palace, Danish: Bernstorff Slot, in Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark, was built in the middle of the 18th century for Foreign Minister Johann Hartwig Ernst, Count von Bernstorff. It remained in the possession of the Bernstorff family until 1812. In 1842 it was bought by Christian VIII...
(1759-1765) for Foreign Minister Johann Hartwig Ernst, Count von Bernstorff. Gardens at Bernstorff Palace, completed 1768 - Redisign of Marienlyst CastleMarienlyst CastleMarienlyst Castle, Danish Marienlyst Slot, is a palacial residence located in Helsingør, Denmark. It was named after King Frederik V of Denmark's second wife, Juliana Maria the queen consort of Denmark and Norway. The building formerly served as a royal pavilion of Kronborg Castle and was mostly...
for Count Adam Gottlob MoltkeAdam Gottlob MoltkeCount Adam Gottlob Moltke , Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, born at Riesenhof in Mecklenburg.-Early life:...
(1759-1763) - Interior work at Bregentved for Count Adam Gottlob MoltkeAdam Gottlob MoltkeCount Adam Gottlob Moltke , Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, born at Riesenhof in Mecklenburg.-Early life:...
(1762-1764) - Rebuilding of Count Moltke'sAdam Gottlob MoltkeCount Adam Gottlob Moltke , Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, born at Riesenhof in Mecklenburg.-Early life:...
Glorup EstateGlorup ManorGlorup is a manor house located between Nyborg and Svendborg in the south-east of the Danish island Funen. Rebuilt to the design of Nicolas-Henri Jardin and his pupil Christian Josef Zuber in 1763-65, it is considered one of the finest Baroque complexes in Denmark.-Early history:Glorup is first...
on Funen (1763-1765)