André Le Nôtre

André Le Nôtre (March 12, 1613 – September 15 1700) was a landscape architect and the gardener of King Louis XIV of France from 1645 to 1700. Most notably, he was responsible for the construction of the park of the Palace of Versailles. His planning was significant as well: at the Tuileries he extended the vista westward, which would later become the avenue of the Champs-Élysées [Dominique Garrigues. "Jardins et jardiniers de Versailles au Grand Siècle." Editions Champ Vallon. ISBN 2876733374 Pg. 282.] and comprise the "Axe historique."

Le Nôtre's other work included the design of many gardens and parks, including those of Chantilly, Chateau Fontainebleau, Racconigi, Saint-Cloud, Saint-Germain-en-Laye and St. James's Park. He also collaborated with Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun on the park of the Vaux-le-Vicomte. André Le Nôtre's father, Jean Le Nôtre was the gardener of Louis XIII of France.

His life

Becoming a gardener

André Le Nôtre was born to a family of gardeners. His father and grandfather were responsible for the jardin des Tuileries . His godfather administered gardens and the husband of his godmother, Claude Mollet was an illustrious gardener. Andre thus lived in a family of gardeners and quickly acquired both practical and theoretical knowledge.

A studious adolescence

He also was interested in other arts but eventually returned to his future career as gardener to the king. He learned mathematics, painting and architecture. He then entered the workshop of Simon Vouet, painter of King Louis XIII. He learned classical art and perspective, and afterwards the friend of Charles Le Brun, François Mansart, permitted him to study architecture for several years.

At the age of 40, he decided to become a gardener, with all the competence he had acquired from his previous artistic experiences.

Debut as a gardener

André Le Nôtre debuted in his career with the project of the gardens of château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, initiated by Nicolas Fouquet. He then worked in partnership with Louis Le Vau and Charles Le Brun. The building site made him famous in the gardening world.

On September 10, 1661, three weeks after having entertained the young King Louis XIV in an extravagant party, Fouquet was arrested by d'Artagnan and his greatest artists were taken to work at Versailles. Among them was André Le Nôtre who was hired by Louis XIV to rehabilitate the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. He also laid out the radiating city plan of Versailles which included the largest avenue yet seen in Europe, the Avenue de Paris. He then designed and realized a number of projects throughout France.

Later years

He was involved in a number of projects in France and had many disciples. In 1679, he visited Italy.

Le Nôtre died at the age of 87 in September 1700. He left behind a number of formal gardens, recognizable for their perspective and their geometric perfection, known and recognized throughout the world. His tomb is in the Baroque Église Saint-Roch in Paris.

Biographical timeline

* 1613 : Birth of André Le Nôtre in Paris, son of Jean Le Nôtre, King's Gardener of the Tuileries.
* 1635 : Le Nôtre is named the first gardener of the duc d'Orléans
* 1637 : He succeeds his father as King's Gardener of the Tuileries
* 1640 : He marries Françoise Langlois
* 1643 : He is named the "draughtsman of plants and terraces" for Anne of Austria
* 1645-1646 : He modernizes the gardens of the château de Fontainebleau
* 1656-1661 : He creates the gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte at the request of Nicolas Fouquet
* 1657 : He becomes the controller general of the King's buildings
* 1662 : Le Nôtre designs the plan of Greenwich Park for Charles II
* 1661 - 1687 : He devotes himself to the Garden and Parks or the Château de Versailles
* 1662 - 1684 : Le Nôtre transforms the gardens of château de Chantilly for "le Grand Condé"
* 1663 - 1672 : He renovates the gardens of château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
* 1665 - 1693 : He arranges and maintains the gardens of château de Saint-Cloud for Philippe d'Orléans
* 1666 - 1672 : Colbert charges Le Nôtre to embelish the jardin des Tuileries
* 1667 : Le Nôtre extends the view of the Tuileries : this is the birth of the avenue of the Champs-Elysées
* 1670 - 1683 : Colbert charges Le Nôtre to alter the gardens of his château de Sceaux
* 1670 : He conceives a project for the château de Racconigi in Italy
* 1674 - 1698 : He remakes the gardens of Venaria Reale in Italy
* 1675 : Le Nôtre is ennobled by the King
* 1679 - 1691 : He intervenes in the planning of the gardens of château de Meudon for Louvois
* 1692 : André Le Nôtre participates in the planning of château de Marly last living residence of Louis XIV
* 1693 : He retires and offers his "belles œuvres" to the King
* 1694 : He sends by letter his instructions for the Charlottenburg Palace and château de Cassel in Germany
* 1698 : He sends to William III of England his plans for the Windsor Castle
* 1700 : André Le Nôtre dies in Paris. He is buried at the église Saint-Roch

List of principal gardens of Le Nôtre

*Gardens of Chateau as well as of city plan of Versailles
*Gardens of Vaux-le-Vicomte
*Gardens of château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
*Gardens of château de Saint-Cloud (the château no longer stands but the gardens still exist.)
*jardin des Tuileries
*parc de Sceaux
*Gardens of château de Fontainebleau
*Gardens of château de Chantilly
*Gardens of château de Bercy à Charenton-le-Pont
*Gardens of château de Chambonas

Avenues

* Avenue of Château de Hauteville in Charchigné

ee also

*French Baroque and Classicism
* Baroque architecture

Notes

Further reading

* Thompson, Ian. "The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, André Le Nôtre And the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles". London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2006 (hardcover, ISBN 1582346313).
** [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/09/24/botho24.xml Reviewed] by Peter Parker in the [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ "Telegraph"] , October 1, 2006.
** [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/09/24/botho224.xml Reviewed] by John Adamson in the [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ "Telegraph"] , 2006.

External links

* [http://www.lenotre.culture.gouv.fr/ André Le Nôtre]
* [http://www.gardenvisit.com/b/notre.htm Andre Le Notre - a biography from the landscape architecture and garden guide]
* [http://www.st-germain.eu/index.php?mod=le_notre&ac=terrasse_le_notre Terrasse le Nôtre à Saint Germain en laye ]