[ARCHITECTURE - LEPAUTRE (Pierre)]. - Lot 29

[ARCHITECTURE - LEPAUTRE (Pierre)]. [Plan de l'Hostel royal des Invalides]. [Paris : pour le Cabinet du roi, 1687]. - In-folio, 512 x 390 : 14 plates. Granite calf, triple gilt fillet framing and gilt coat of arms in the center of the boards, ornate ribbed spine (period binding). Inventory of the French collection. Graveurs du XVIIe siècle, Tome 13, Pierre Lepautre, BNF, 2008, n° 266-279. Extremely rare suite of 14 plates representing the large plans, sections and elevations of the église royale des Invalides, with the dome and dome tower, based on Mansart's drawings. This collection is complete and extremely rare, as it was printed for the purpose of drawing up the estimate and was therefore not marketed (cf. Bibliotheca Uilenbroukiana, Amsterdam, 1729, no. 465, pp. 102-103, section "Livres et estampes de l'impression du Louvre, ou du Cabinet du Roi"). Some plates are composed of several sheets to form views measuring over one meter. The plates are not signed, but are by the engraver, draughtsman and sculptor Pierre Lepautre (1652-1716). Indeed, Kristina Deutsch reports in her book Jean Marot, un graveur d'architecture à l'époque de Louis XIV, that "On avait gravé [...] fourteen large plates representing the plans, sections and profiles of the church of the Invalides, to be used to draw up the estimate of this building; but these plates should not be delivered to the public; they were engraved according to the drawings of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and were not distributed to those who were engraved with a copy of the Description générale de l'Hôtel des Invalides. As a result, they were difficult to find for many years. Today, these plates can be found in the chalcography department of the Louvre. [...] These prints are not signed, but can be traced to a payment in the Bâtiments du roi accounts to Pierre Lepautre, who received 1,150 livres on May 13, 1687 for engraving "14 plans, profils et élévations de lad. Eglise". The payment appears among the "Diverses Dépenses" for the construction of the Invalides church, paid until 1679 from war funds, before the sovereign took them from the Bâtiments du roi account. It is very likely that these plates were initially intended for contractors, as Duplessis asserts, since we know that Pierre Lepautre worked as a draftsman and engraver in the agency of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, architect of the Invalides church, first architect to the king (from 1681) and superintendent of the king's buildings (from 1699). In 1683, Jean II Le Blond acquired a royal privilege to engrave royal projects by Mansart and others" (Kristina Deutsch, Jean Marot, un graveur d'architecture à l'époque de Louis XIV, p. 195). Contains: 1 - Plan au Rez de chaussée de l'Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of two plates, the whole measuring approx. 430 x 1155 mm. 2 - Plan above the Doric Order on the outside, and the Corinthian Order on the inside, at the level of the foot of the detail where the great arches originate, consisting of 2 boards, the whole measuring approx. 430 x 1155 mm. 3 - Premier Plan de la tour du Dôme, des Escalliers, et des Combles de l'Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of two boards, the whole measuring 433 x 1155 mm approx. 4 - 2nd Plan of the Tour du Dôme at balustrade level for the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of one plate measuring 487 x 280 mm. 5 - 3rd Plan of the Tour du Dôme at grand Attique level, for the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, on a 483 x 270 mm plate. 6 - 4th Plan of the Tour du Dôme at the Petit Attique level, for the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of one 487 x 255 mm plate. 7 - 5e Plan du Comble du Dôme et de la Lanterne de l'Eglise de l'hostem Royal des Invalides, one plate, 413 x 230 mm. 8 - Elevation of the portal and dome of the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, made up of 3 plates, all measuring approx. 1291 x 1235 mm. 9 - Panel to the right of La Croisée in the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of 3 boards, overall dimensions approx. 1306 x 790 mm. 10 - Diagonal in-line section of the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of 3 boards, measuring approx. 1290 x 930 mm. 11 - Longitudinal section of the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of 4 boards, measuring approx. 1265 x 1235 mm. 12 - Tracery of the crossing and two of the four corner chapels of the Eglise de l'hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of one sheet measuring 406 x 760 mm. 13 - Cover of the Sanctuary and view from behind the entrance to the Church of the Hostel Royal des Invalides, consisting of a 461 x 805 mm plate. 14 - Elevation of one side of the