Desseins de plusieurs palais

work by Le Pautre

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June 25, 2026

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Desseins de plusieurs palais ("Designs for Several Palaces") is a 1652 publication by French Baroque architect Antoine Le Pautre. This collection of engravings features various palace designs, including a notable project for a grand château. This château design incorporated semicircular concave bays connecting central sections with end pavilions, creating a dynamic interplay of convex and concave forms. Le Pautre, born into a family of architects, became a royal architect in 1644 and is known for his innovative approach to challenging sites, such as the Hôtel de Beauvais. His work reflects a blend of dramatic Italian Baroque influences and more restrained French classicism.12

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Antoine Le Pautre
Le Pautre published Desseins de plusieurs palais (“Designs for Several Palaces”) in 1652, a volume of engravings that includes a famous project for an immense château. Among its features are semicircular concave bays connecting the end pavilions to the building’s centre. The bays are contrasted to the convex…
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Le Pautre published Desseins de plusieurs palais (“Designs for Several Palaces”) in 1652, a volume of engravings that includes a famous project for an immense château. Among its features are semicircular concave bays connecting the end pavilions to the building’s centre. The bays are contrasted to the convex…
Read More