Thouret
Encyclopedia
Nikolaus Friedrich von Thouret (born Ludwigsburg
, 2 June 1767; died Stuttgart
, 17 January 1845). German architect
and designer
.
as a designer-draughtsman and decorative painter. An early architectural project was the Gothic Revival church of Hohenheim (1797; re-erected 1803 at Monrepos, Ludwigsburg
; ruin since 1940s. With the assistance of Goethe
, whom he met in Stuttgart in 1797, Thouret was commissioned to design the décor of the Schloss in Weimar
and to renovate the court theatre there (1798–1800). On his return to Stuttgart, Thouret was appointed court architect to Frederick II, Duke of Württemberg (1754–1816), in 1799. He undertook numerous building projects, nearly all in the Neo-classical style
, in Stuttgart
and Ludwigsburg
where the dukes had their official residences; these schemes took account of the increasing need for prestigious buildings in Württemberg
, following its elevation in 1806 to the Status of a kingdom, with the Duke becoming its first king. As well as renovations to the royal palaces, designs for park furniture and ephemeral festival constructions, several theatre projects were entrusted to Thouret, and he also produced furniture designs for the interior decoration of the palaces. In addition to his work for the Court, Thouret designed many private buildings, especially in Stuttgart
(e.g., Wohnhaus Erbe, Königstrasse, 1806; Wohnhaus Kohl, Friedrichstrasse, 1817). After the death of the King in 1816, Thouret was dismissed in 1817 from his post as court architect. He was appointed Professor of architecture, but because of delays in the proposed establishment of a professional academy his potential as a teacher of architecture was never developed. Instead he continued to be given design commissions and was involved in almost all the foremost architectural projects undertaken in Stuttgart
to the 1830s (e.g., Katharinenhospital, 1827; Hoftheater, 1833). Among the few Works by Thouret that have been preserved are his schemes for the interior decoration of Weimar Palace (begun 1789) and Ludwigsburg Palace
(begun 1805), the theatre (1812) at Ludwigsburg Palace
, the assembly hall and pump room (begun 1825) in Bad Cannstatt and the Eberhard baths (begun 1838) in Wildbad.
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg urban district with about 87,000 inhabitants...
, 2 June 1767; died Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 17 January 1845). German 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...
and designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
.
Life and work
From 1778 to 1788 he was educated at the Hohe Karlsschule in Stuttgart where he trained as a painter. He then attended the Académie des Beaux-Arts (1789–1790) in Paris and studied architecture in Rome (1791–1797). After returning to Stuttgart, he worked for the court in WürttembergWürttemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
as a designer-draughtsman and decorative painter. An early architectural project was the Gothic Revival church of Hohenheim (1797; re-erected 1803 at Monrepos, Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg urban district with about 87,000 inhabitants...
; ruin since 1940s. With the assistance of Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer, pictorial artist, biologist, theoretical physicist, and polymath. He is considered the supreme genius of modern German literature. His works span the fields of poetry, drama, prose, philosophy, and science. His Faust has been called the greatest long...
, whom he met in Stuttgart in 1797, Thouret was commissioned to design the décor of the Schloss in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
and to renovate the court theatre there (1798–1800). On his return to Stuttgart, Thouret was appointed court architect to Frederick II, Duke of Württemberg (1754–1816), in 1799. He undertook numerous building projects, nearly all in the Neo-classical style
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...
, in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
and Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about north of Stuttgart city centre, near the river Neckar. It is the largest and primary city of the Ludwigsburg urban district with about 87,000 inhabitants...
where the dukes had their official residences; these schemes took account of the increasing need for prestigious buildings in Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, following its elevation in 1806 to the Status of a kingdom, with the Duke becoming its first king. As well as renovations to the royal palaces, designs for park furniture and ephemeral festival constructions, several theatre projects were entrusted to Thouret, and he also produced furniture designs for the interior decoration of the palaces. In addition to his work for the Court, Thouret designed many private buildings, especially in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
(e.g., Wohnhaus Erbe, Königstrasse, 1806; Wohnhaus Kohl, Friedrichstrasse, 1817). After the death of the King in 1816, Thouret was dismissed in 1817 from his post as court architect. He was appointed Professor of architecture, but because of delays in the proposed establishment of a professional academy his potential as a teacher of architecture was never developed. Instead he continued to be given design commissions and was involved in almost all the foremost architectural projects undertaken in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
to the 1830s (e.g., Katharinenhospital, 1827; Hoftheater, 1833). Among the few Works by Thouret that have been preserved are his schemes for the interior decoration of Weimar Palace (begun 1789) and Ludwigsburg Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace is a historical building in the city of Ludwigsburg , Germany. It is one of the country's largest Baroque palaces and features an enormous garden in that style....
(begun 1805), the theatre (1812) at Ludwigsburg Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace
Ludwigsburg Palace is a historical building in the city of Ludwigsburg , Germany. It is one of the country's largest Baroque palaces and features an enormous garden in that style....
, the assembly hall and pump room (begun 1825) in Bad Cannstatt and the Eberhard baths (begun 1838) in Wildbad.