This elevation drawing showing the Pavillion which terminates in the forecourt wings of the Château of Versailles is an autograph work by François D'Orbay. From 1663 he was an official Architecte du Roi of Louis XIV (1635-1715). Working primarily under Le Vau he produced drawings for the great royal building projects, including the palaces of the Louvre and Versailles. After Le Vau’s death in 1670, d’Orbay completed on-going projects, and this design, dated 1671, was executed in this period. Its status as relating to the history of one of the most important buildings in France is enhanced by the autograph inscription of Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) who served as Minister of Finances from 1665 to 1683 who signed and approved the drawing.

D’Orbay’s skill is evident in the careful disposition of the façade on the sheet, and in the illusion of its emplacement created by the ornamental railings that stretch across the paper. It is evident also in the refined delineation of the Doric order and the exact depiction of stone and brick. This was a presentation drawing. Pentimenti, or revisions, in the treatment of the bays suggests that Louis XIV was directly involved in the choice of design for these pavilions. Their façades were the first architectural statements of the king’s glory to confront visitors as they approached Versailles from the town.

purchased by Mr Ralph Holland from a bookshop in Tunbridge Wells, 1952; Holland Gift 2013

Drawings Gallery Display - Ornament by Design, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 23/04/2016-12/06/2016

Architectural Drawings Workshop, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 02/08/2013-03/08/2013

Versailles. The chateau and its history in books and pictures, National Book League, London, 1953

Holland, Ralph, A lecture delivered by Ralph Holland to the friends of the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 1981
unpaginated

Holland, Ralph, 'Three French Architectural Drawings' in 'Burlington Magazine', June 1961 - pp. 264-269; 103, 699
p. 265
fig. 87

Versailles. The chateau and its history in books and pictures, National Book League, London, 1953, 1953
cat. no. 14

Watermark: Watermark: Recto, left centre: a narrow bunch of grapes.

Inscription: Recto: upper left corner, grey ink: “7”; within the drawing, left centre, grey ink, artist’s hand: “39 pcs.” and down the left-hand column “3p”, “18 p 1/2”, “2p1/2”, “17”, “6p’.” and “3p’”; lower right (and thus indicating approval of the right side of the elevation), grey ink, signed and dated in Colbert’s hand: “resolu suivant cette eslevation / a S: Germain en laie le 28me Juillet 1671 / Colbert //”. Verso: lower centre, brown ink, underlined: “Elevation des aisles”.

Collector's mark: none.