Jean-Michel Chevotet

Jean-Michel Chevotet was born the July 11th 1698 with Paris and died the December 4th 1772 with Paris.

Architect of the king and the first class of the royal Academy of architecture , garden French of the school of Ours …, specialist in hydraulics

Its family

Jean-Michel Chevotet was baptized in Paris, on July 11th, 1698. Its family antecedents do not predestine it with a career of architect. The family is extremely modest. Its great-grandfather, Claude Chevotet, were tailor of clothes, street of the Old man-Dovecote. His/her grandfather, Jean Chevotet, main turner with Orleans, where he also exerted the functions of archer of the guet. His/her father, Jean Chevotet returns to Paris, whereas his/her uncles and aunts remain in Orleans. Jean settles street of Tournon, where it opens in 1694 a shop of merchant of wine to the sign of the Hermitage. In 1714, it is established street of Orleans to the Faubourg Saint-Marcel, where it dies in 1740.

Biography

Its beginnings

Jean-Michel Chevotet, intended for the trade, fact of rapids progress in the art of the drawing at the school of famous the Audran. This architect was surely introduced into the medium of the building by his great-uncle Jean Chouannet, stone mason, or Louis Sublau, also stone mason and witness to the marriage of his Chevotet godmother. It is as well as possible necessary to imagine that its talents of draftsman very quickly encourage it to carry out, as of 1718, of the statements of architecture.

In 1722, Jean-Michel Chevotet gains Grand Prix of Rome of the royal Académie of architecture with a study of Triumphal arch, whereas he is the pupil of Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Fair the. the prince of Guise and prince Charles of Lorraine entrust important work to him .

Talented draftsman, it illustrates several treaties of architecture of which Versailles immortalized (1720 - 1725) of Jean-Baptiste de Monicart and French Architecture (1727) of Pierre-Jean Mariette.

In 1732, Jean-Michel becomes, by decision of the king, member of the royal Académie of architecture. It had raised all the plans of the royal houses. It makes build on its drawings the church and the house the Frères of Saint-Jean-of-God, also called brothers of Charity , with Castle-Thierry.

In 1729, Louis de Bourbon-Cop (1709-1771) founds the Académie of Small-Luxembourg where meet scientists and artists like the architects Jean Aubert, Germain Boffrand, Jean-Michel Chevotet.

In 1733, it is reproduced on the Royal Almanac, like member of the Academy as an architect of 2 class, inhabitant street of Bouloy, therefore very close to the Louvre. In 1738, Jean-Michel Chevotet is reproduced on the Royal Almanac, as architect of 2 class, living in Luxembourg.

Its marriage (1741)

Its brilliance marriage, on September 19th, 1741, with Anne Catherine Rémond, enables him to be integrated into the Parisian good company. On the 35 signatures being reproduced on their marriage contract the majority are parents of Rémond-Mottet. The others are partly relations of this family become of the customers of the architect, like:

Marshal of Richelieu, great-grand-nephew of the cardinal of Richelieu, friend of Voltaire, Maréchal of Richelieu (1696-1788) is the godson of Louis XIV and the duchess of Burgundy. Man of valorous war, at the time of the campaigns between 1733 and 1758.
Jean-Baptiste de Machault d' Arnouville (1701-94), adviser at the Parliament, Master of the requests, president of the Council, intendant of the Hainaut, Minister of Justice, Minister for the Navy. In 1794, being to Rouen, it will be led like suspect to the prison of Madelonnettes, where the age and the emotion brought its death.
the marquis, Rene Louis de Voyer de Paulmy d' Argenson and the marchioness, a French statesman. In November 1744, several months after France officially entered in war, it will be named secretary of foreign affairs by Louis XV, which delights Voltaire.

the president Mole, President with Mortar then first president will make build by Chevotet the castle of Champlâtreux, between 1751 and 1757, helped in that by the dowry of his wife (1733), it-also signatory,
the widow of Samuel Bernard,
Charles François Xavier Lebret, future intendant of Brittany (1719-1765) is lord of Flacourt, of Puppet and count de Selles. Knight of Malta, he is lawyer of the King in Châtelet of Paris in 1740, prosecuting attorney with the Great Council then prosecuting attorney at the Parliament of Paris in 1746. He becomes intendant of Brittany on April 17th, 1753 and dies in function in 1765.
Rouillé Fountain, lord of Marly-the-City, an old family of Touraine,
the abbot of Entraygues, abbot of Iverneaux close to Paris,
Regnault de Barame,
the marchioness of Bourdonnaye, marries of the intendant of Rouen, Saulnier of Moizière, Farmer general and his/her son-in-law Claude Etienne Blondeau († 19.7.1765), adviser at the Court of Aydes of Paris, marries Anne Marie Catherine Saulnier of Moizière, both secretaries of the king.

Except some large lords, the majority of the signatories belong to the world of the middle-class and finance; only the presence of the painter Nicolas Lancret points out the relations that Chevotet could have with the artists of its time.

Architect of first class of the royal Academy of architecture

It is as from this time that one manages to follow with a certain precision the course of his career. In 1742 and 1743, Jean-Michel Chevotet is reproduced on the Royal Almanac, as architect member of the academy, always of 2 class, but inhabitant Rue Saint-Honore.

It is there that is born his/her first daughter, Anne Michelle Chevotet. In 1747, he moves last once and settles on the first floor of the old hotel of Montbazon, street Béthisy, in which he will make transformations. Chevotet concretizes its social rise by ordering from Jean-Baptiste Perronneau several portraits: of which that of its wife in 1743, then in 1751 their double portrait. In 1750, it is always reproduced on the Royal Almanac, as architect of 2 class, inhabitant street Bétisy (suburb Saint-Germain).

In 1748 and 1753, it submits without success four projects for future the place Louis XV. It is not more retained in 1764 for the enlarging of the Palate-Bourbon.

In 1749 and 1751, he is elected with the first class of the royal Académie of architecture, but this choice not being ratified by the king, he must await 1754 and the death of Germain Boffrand to reach this distinction.

Before 1752, it takes part in: Francoise Architecture, Or Collection Of the Plans, Rises, Cuts And Profiles Of the Churches, Royal Houses, Palate, Hotels & the most considerable Buildings of Paris, as well as Castles & Country cottages located around this City, or in other places of France, built by the most famous Architects, & measured exactly on the spot… Volume First… labels by Jean-Jacques Flipart, Charles Nicolas Cochin, Claude Olivier Gallimard Charles Nicolas Cochin, Claude Lucas, Pierre-Edmé Babel, Antoine Herisset, and Pierre Leg, Jean6Michel Chevotet, Edmé Bouchardon, François Charles Prevostel.

In 1757,1758,1766,1767,1768,1770,1771 and 1775, it is reproduced on the Royal Almanac, as architect of 1st class, inhabitant street Béthisy.

Fortunate aristocratic customers

In spite of a certain contempt on behalf of the entourage of the king, Jean-Michel Chevotet, Price of Rome, do not establish less its reputation of architect near fortunate aristocratic customers and adapt many existing Parisian hotels of it to the last style. This promoter and public works contractor deliver key castles in hands .

Well it is a close relation of the family of his family which will be its first customer: one of the signatories of their marriage contract.

Collaboration is not established only between Pierre Telling of Ivry, Chevotet and its son-in-law Jean-Baptiste Chaussard. In 1752, the sister of Mrs Chevotet, Louise Gabrielle Rémond, marries the painter of the king Jean Valade. This last presents to the Living rooms, as from 1755, the portraits of the members of its in-laws. Thereafter, it will be sometimes associated with the trilogy of architects Chevotet, Telling, Chaussard. For example, in 1767, it exposes to the Living room the portrait of fire marshal of Beautiful-Isle, for which Telling built the stables of the Château of Bizy, and Chaussard gives the plans of the tomb in the church of Vernon (the Eure).

The castle of Arnouville-lès-Gonesse (1750)

In 1750, the castle of Arnouville-lès-Gonesse is built for the controller of finances of Louis XV, Jean-Baptiste de Machault d' Arnouville. This one is in disgrace, disgrace which will last during more than thirty years. He thus lives there forgotten of all. Being bored, he wants to build a modern castle in a park the drawings are of Pierre Telling of Ivry, between 1750 and 1757. Jean-Michel Chevotet directs the principal building sites and arranges the park. Only the stables, the orangery, part of the castle and the installation of the park are completed. The unit was to be imposing. The building comprises 18 windows and attic windows of frontage, but the wing in return projected will never be built. The marquis d' Argenson note in a letter of 1751: it makes lavish expenditures with its castle of Arnouville-lès-Gonesse: it there cut down the village and makes in front of its house a large public place like the Place Vendôme; he hopes that the king will pass there while coming from Compiegne, and it made there pass the way.

The Castle of Petit-Bourg

a country house around Paris.

In 1756, the Castle of Petit-Bourg , built for the president Chauvelin, the Castle of Petit-Bourg, in 1756, with Évry, on the field which the Sun king had offered to Madam de Montespan. The old castle was entirely demolished in 1750 and was replaced by this new castle built starting from 1756 in the neo-classic taste . It also draws gardens of the Château of Petit-Bourg.

At the time of the Revolution, the castle will become the property of the duchess of Bourbon, born Bathilde of Orleans, the sister of Philippe Égalité.

Sold several times since 1798, the princely residence will be finally burnt in 1944 by the Nazis and shaven by the town hall.

The Castle of Champlâtreux (1751 and 1757)

Between 1751 and 1757 Jean-Michel Chevotet builds another country house around Paris, the Château of Champlâtreux, for Mathieu-François Molé, witness with his marriage, which makes build the current castle between 1751 and 1757, with the money of the dowry of the last girl of Samuel Bernard, banker of the kings. The cost of construction will be of 513.507 books, including 20.000 for Chevotet, few things compared with the six million books that Samuel Bernard left with his daughter.

The Château of Champlâtreux is a perfect example of the classical architecture, majestic, without excess and conceived to receive.

In the years 1735 - 1740, Jean-Michel Chevotet had already built the two houses of guard and layout of the gardens to the Frenchwoman as well as the half-moon in front of the entry.

To hold the costs thus, Chevotet creates a Briqueterie opposite the castle, used Gypse found on the property to make Plâtre, drawn wood from the neighbouring forests and the stone of the careers of Luzarches and Saint-Maximin (Oise).

Enriched considerably, Jean Michel Chevotet slows down his activity as from 1765, and its principal building sites are finished by his/her son-in-law Jean-Baptiste Chaussard.

photographs and site on the castle of Champlâtreux

Other achievements

the House of Hanover for the Maréchal of Richelieu street New-Saint-Augustin (this house, dismounted during the construction of the Berlitz Palate on the current Boulevard of the Italians) will have gone up in 1932 in the park of the Château of Seals).
the hotel Mole (known as also Hotel of Roquelaure) (1741 - 1742), Street Saint-Dominique (today 246 Boulevard Saint-Germain);
the hotel of Béthune-Sully (known as also hotel of Lesdiguières) (1756 - 1757), Street Saint-Dominique (today 248 Boulevard Saint-Germain);
the hotel Perrinet de Jars, 33 Street of the Suburb-Saint-Honore;
the castle of Mareuil-on-Ay. Castle built between 1771 and 1774 in the fields of the Chevotet architect, and finished by Chaussard

* the castle of Pauges, for the treasurer of extraordinary of the wars;

the castle of Donjeu, close to Joinville;
the castle of Grandpré, out of Champagne.

It also draws gardens with Orsay (1758 - 1764) for Pierre Gaspard Marie Grimod d' Orsay.

Works you he with the modernization of the Château of Thoiry (Yvelines)?

With Gagny, Jean Michel Chevotet must is satisfied to improve the park of the Gaillard house with Bouexière. Antoine-Nicolas Dezallier d' Argenville mentions the name of Chevotet in 1755, in connection with the innovations brought to the park of Gagny, without specifying the detail of it. Gagny is a famous field, creates about 1650, by Dominique de Ferrari, General Receveur of Finances, then Conseiller of the King (+ 1685) It was composed of a castle surrounded by superb gardens drawn by Ours, famous for their dancing waters. This state is known by several drawings preserved at the National library. The seigniory of Gagny is bought on December 20th, 1725 by Jean Gaillard (1676-1759), lord of Bouexière, in Brittany Its fortune colossal enables him to undertake great work in its ground of Gagny. It is possible to locate these transformations about 1745, because on April 24th, 1747, Gaillard of Bouexière, to thank Jean Michel Chevotet for work which it carried out engages to pour to him as fees a revenue and pension for life of 200 pounds starting from January 1st, 1747.

The nécrologe of Carpentier specifies that with the house of Mr. of Bouexière, close to Montmartre, the most beautiful parts of the garden were made on the drawings of Chevotet . We can note the importance of the architecture of trellis-work that Chevotet will use later with the hotel of Richelieu. The very traditional layout of this large garden of twenty arpents is enriched by an important carved decoration of which a part was the work of Nicolas Sebastien Adam (1705-1778).

Between (1754 and 1760), the prince Claude Lamoral II of Line expenditure of the million to give to its castle Belœil and to its gardens a great magnificence. By land acquisitions being next to his residence, the digging of channels encircling the park and nutritive water levels and fountains, the opening of a prospect as far as the eye can see on the south-western frontage for the castle, the prince wants to equalize the Versailles Louis XIV. He calls upon the Parisian architect Jean-Michel Chevotet, large expert of the architectural production of the reign of the Sun king. The installation in 1761 of the carved group of Neptune at the end of the large water part is the completion of this masterpiece of garden to the Frenchwoman. With Belœil, Chevotet surrounds the castle of a jardinized forest .

Claude Nicolas Ledoux

Claude Nicolas Ledoux makes a training course in the cabinet of Pierre Telling of Ivry, and also enters in connection with that of Jean-Michel Chevotet, two Masters who can get useful relations to him among their rich person customers. Among the customers of Chevotet, it becomes acquainted with president Hocquart and entered the good graces of the president and her sister, Mrs. de Montesquiou. Telling and Chevotet incarnate a Style Louis XV in the process of pass from mode.

End of its life

In the beginning of the year 1771, Chevotet falls ill; its Ballot doctor visits it a hundred and thirty four times from February 16th, 1771 to June 8th, 1772; three surgeons follow one another his bedside, of which one poses the vesicatory ones to him and bindings; he attends nevertheless almost all the meetings of the royal Académie of architecture, until September 1772. Its last disease, a crisis of apoplexy, carries it in two months.

Jean-Michel Chevotet dies in its house of the street Béthisy, on December 4th 1772 and is buried the following day with Saint-Germain-the Auxerrois. The writer Sedaine reads his praise with the Academy.

In a lease of June 21st, 1780 for the grounds of Choisy, Marie Madeleine Mottet , wife of Louis Segoing, are founded capacities of Demoiselle Anne Catherine Rémond, widow of Sieur Michel Chevotet, architect of Roy, live Paris. a sale on March 18th 1773, in Paris, after its death is organized. It consists of tables of various Masters, intentions, books, & ustensils of architecture, like in various framed prints, & wallets… A text of this sale is printed by Bassan: Guillieaumon, in 1773. It comprises 13 pages. This inventory after death makes it possible to imagine the ease to which Jean-Michel Chevotet arrived at the end of its life.

It has with its service a cooker and a servant who have each one a room very simply furnished, but its cellar is well furnished. One finds approximately six hundred wine bottles there of various sources. The kitchen and the office contain inter alia a great number of parts of crockery in porcelain of Japan, which is rare at the time. The presence of a room of Harpsichord with an instrument with two keyboards snuffed 188 pounds and bundles of music whose Armide, makes it possible to think that Mrs. Chevotet was good musician.

In addition to usual furniture, one notes in the dining room of the architect a Trumeau of chimney with two ices, surmounted of a greyness painted on fabric. The room to be slept is tended of Damas crimson and decorated with two piers of ice and gilded wood; two twin beds with columns are used for Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Michel Chevotet.

The wardrobe of the husbands is considerable; let us quote as example the fifty and one pairs of slippers, the twenty four night-caps or the thirty-seven shirts of Chevotet. The same applies to Mrs. Chevotet. They have a certain number of jewels: gold snuffbox and watches, gold jewels assembled with brilliances…

The instruments of work of Chevotet are all out of money and it has a gold carry-pencil.

The money crockery is evaluated more than 10.600 books and one finds in the apartment 8.300 books in sums of money cash. Among 815 volumes which compose its library, about all the treaties of architecture and the works describing of the famous buildings appear. The remainder consists of books of religious history, in memories and books of literature.

In addition to the prints, one counts nearly fifty paintings in his apartment, some placed in overdoor. Concurrently to many copies according to Raphaël, Charles of the Pit, François Butcher or Antoine Van Dyck, one find a certain number of original works including five tables by Nicolas Lancret, two pastoral subjects by Natoire, two battles by Parrocel the Father, two subjects of ceiling by Charles of the Pit, a sight of the Pont-Neuf and a sight of the archbishop's palace by Nicolas-Jean-Baptist Raguenet and a procession of troops by Jean-Baptiste the Peacock. Finally the drawings of architecture occupy a place of course important. The sale brings back five thousand books eleven grounds

Its descent

Jean Michel Chevotet is modest origins, but:

His wife, Anne Catherine Remond (1712 - 1786) has as father Nicolas II Rémond (1678-1727) who was secretary of the intendance of Lyon, in 1712, then secretary of the intendance of Flandres. His/her brother is officer of hunting and secretary of the intendance of Flandres. He dies young person, with the end of the year 1728 in Paris, and leaves the three quarters of his important heritage to his three children. Rémond occupy of the loads at the Parliament and in the hunting of the king: by his/her mother, Anne-Catherine goes down from Herlaut lords of Donneval, of Choisy, and of Mound points out Bernard Chevalier in: Chevotet-Telling-Chaussard, a cabinet of architects at the century of the lights . It is what explains the fact that Jean-Michel Chevotet can attend large lords and the financial ones. And it has like mother, Anne Mottet (1685 - 1765) is the girl of Louis II Mottet of Saint-Crow, rider, provost, lord… and of Marguerite Herlaut de Donneval, close relationship of Nicolas-Jerome Herlaut. Louis II Mottet of Saint-Crow is the grandfather of Benoît Mottet of the Fountain, and the great-grandfather of Agathe de Rambaud, born Mottet and of the woman of Henry II Russell.

The sister of her wife, Louise Gabrielle Remond , Marie with Jean Valade, painter of the King, member of the Academy of painting.

Jean Michel Chevotet has two girls.

Anne Michelle Chevotet (1743 - 1807) Marie on February 18th, 1765 with Jean-Baptiste Chaussard, his associate. They have a son Pierre-Jean-Baptist Chaussard, more known under the name of Publicola Chaussard.

Marie Chevotet (1754 - 1833) Marie with Jean Simon (1730 - 1808) , lawyer with the Parliament of Paris.

Notes and references of the article

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