Musée Carnavalet, 23, rue de Sévigné 75003,  Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646-1708) until 28 June 2009

A beautiful exhibition of architecture that combines detailed plans, models and beautiful paintings of the era, including royal portraits made by Hyacinthe Rigaud, known throughout Europe. The Carnavalet museum presents the first retrospective of the architect of the King Louis XIV, who has so successfully put into practice the fastes whims of his sovereign. The exhibition begins with a presentation of the master builder, portraits and busts in support, showing his preferred title of Prime architect of the King, received by Louis XIV in 1681. Mansart The name comes from his famous great-uncle François it judiciously highlighted with hers. His family will benefit from the privileges of the family that protects its descendants, including architects, the beginning of the reign of Louis XVI (1774).  In the portrait of Hyacinthe Rigaud (1685), Jules Hardouin-Mansart posing with his decoration of the Order of St. Michel, a wig and a blue clothe. Thanks to the favor of Louis XIV, which covers the honors and money, the architect becomes Superintendent of Buildings of King in 1699.  The following rooms have different models of exceptional accomplishments of the architect. Churches. The Royal Church of the Invalides with the dome is designed to compete with that of St. Paul, designed by Christopher Wren in London and place in front of the building later plain Grenelle (unrealized) returns, not least, St. Peter's Square in Rome. Or the Church of St Genieva (Pantheon) and the Sacre-Coeur. Hardouin-Mansart also exciting in buildings such as Saint-Paul (Le Marais) or Notre Dame and on projects such as the church of Saint-Roch. The royal castles. That of Clagny donated by Louis XIV to his mistress, Madame de Montespan (it will be destroyed in the eighteenth century). The castle of Marly or "Palace of Flora", designed by André Le Nôtre, is composed of a square flag, with its center in a circle to house a salon. He is accompanied by twelve small pavilions aligned around a pond - a mirror reflecting the sky and "bring" below. The Grand Trianon at Versailles resumes this idea that reverses the academic hierarchy by giving importance to the home garden. Louis XIV, in fact, likes to be alone among the flowers and greenery, away from the label of Versailles. The architect pushes the audacity to dare color, become rare in the Grand Siècle (reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, the seventeenth century): facades painted fresco Marly and of marble pilasters Languedoc Trianon, which refer to the vivid flora. Versailles was transformed by Hardouin-Mansart was a simple hunting palace, built under Louis XIII, as a symbol of royal power, and even France. Louis XIV officially decided to move to Versailles in May 1682, but he confided his project to the architect in 1678. After the death of the architect thirty years later, big is still not finished. Its high point is the Hall of Mirrors (1678), which connects the apartments of the king to the queen. The royal squares. They stem from the sovereign will of the investing public and to symbolize the centralized monarchy which is being established. The equestrian statue of Louis XIV, place Louis-le-Grand (now known as Place Vendôme), inspired by the ancient Marcus Aurelius of the Capitol. His cast bronze, created by the renowned Hans-Johann Balthazar vom Steinbock Keller (1638-1702), according to the sculptor Francois Girardon (1628-1715), became the largest in the world. This influences the royal effigy statues of the princes of Europe. It will be destroyed by the Revolutionaries, the only remaining copy reduced (Musée du Louvre), exhibited here. Serving the King to ensure the orders of other members of the royal family and his immediate circle. Hardouin-Mansart built Saint-Cyr for her, the secret wife of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon (1635-1719), the Palais-Royal to Mr Philippe de France (1640-1701), brother of the king; Meudon for Bishop Louis de France says the Grand Dauphin (1661-1711); Chantilly for the princes of Condé; Seals for his minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683). To cope with all these sites, Jules Hardouin-Mansart surrounds himself with collaborators, including Robert de Cotte (1656-1735), who became his brother-in-law (1682) and succeed him as prime architect of the king to his death.