L’architecte, le sculpteur, le marbrier et quelques cheminées bellifontaines des années 1730-1740

Abstract

The architect, the sculptor, the marble mason and a few mantel pieces at Fontainebleau in the 1730’s-1740’s. Under the reign of Louis XV (1725-1774), 136 marble chimney pieces were delivered for Fontainebleau. Creating a marble decor meant many contributors, among them the King, architects, marble masons, ornemanists and sculptors. The marble masons working at Fontainebleau were Claude-Félix Tarlé and Louis Trouard. The chimney pieces were overseen by architects, in particular Ange-Jacques Gabriel and were sometimes improved by a sculptor like Jacques Verbeckt. The chimney pieces created in the 1730-1740, those of Marie Leszczinska’s bedroom or for Mesdames’ cabinet, for instance, epitomize the flourishing of rocaille style. The marbles chosen, difficult to carve, responded to the rocaille aesthetics thanks to their multicoloured aspects (brèche violette, Sarrancolin, brocatelle). This period was the golden age for marble masons, whose technical know-how was necessary to the use of marbles that sculptors were not familiar with.