- Rendez-vous de l'Institut
- Conference
Terrasses, parterres et fontaines ornementales : les nouvelles ambitions de l’art des jardins en France sous le règne d’Henri IV par Emmanuel LURIN – Château de Bénouville
Terraces, parterres and ornamental fountains: new ambitions in France’s garden art under Henry IV
What was the role played by Claude Mollet, one of Henri IV’s gardeners, in the design of the first embroidery parterres in France? At what point in time did the habit of placing stone fountains adorned with sculptures within plant compositions begin? How can we explain the importance afforded to the architecture of pavilions, terraces and ponds in garden development as from the late 16th century? This conference will present the key aspects of garden art in France under the reign of Henri IV, focusing on its importance in a changing typology that dates back to the Middle Ages, to be enhanced during the Renaissance, before nurturing new ambitions, around the year 1600, culminated through Le Nôtre’s work and the conception of the ‘classical’ garden in the second half of the 17th century.
Emmanuel Lurin
Lecturer in the history of modern art at the University of Paris-Sorbonne and specialist in 16th century art, Emmanuel Lurin organised the exhibition entitled, Henri IV. Prince de paix, patron des arts (Saint-Germain-en-Laye, MAN) in 2010 and has coordinated several international colloquiums (L’artiste et l’antiquaire, 2014; Autour des Francini. Hydraulique et fontaines ornementales en France, 2014; La lettre de l’estampe. Les formes de l’écrit et ses fonctions dans l’image imprimée en Europe au XVIe siècle). His research is essentially in three fields: the art of print in Rome; the fortune of antiques in the 16th century – examined from the angle of antique culture; royal architecture and gardens in France under Henri IV. He is currently preparing a monograph based on his thesis on the French artist Etienne Dupérac.