Nicolas-Henri Jardin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicolas-Henri Jardin
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Nicolas-Henri Jardin, by Peder Als in 1764
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| Born | March 22, 1720 St. Germain des Noyers
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| Died | August 31, 1799 (aged 79) St. Germain des Noyers
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Nicolas-Henri Jardin was a French architect who lived from 1720 to 1799. He was born in St. Germain des Noyers, France. Jardin worked for 17 years in Denmark and Norway. He was the official architect for the Danish royal family. He is famous for bringing a new style called neoclassicism to these countries.
Contents
Becoming an Architect: Jardin's Early Years
Nicolas-Henri Jardin started studying architecture when he was just ten years old. He joined the French Academy of Architecture by 1738. He learned from a teacher named A.C. Mollet. When he was 22, Jardin won a big award called the Prix de Rome. He won it for his design of a church choir.
This prize allowed him to travel to Italy in 1744. He studied at the French Academy in Rome until 1748. While there, he also learned mathematics and geometry. He might have studied engineering too.
In Italy, Jardin became friends with a French sculptor named Jacques Saly. Saly would later play a very important role in Jardin's career. Both Jardin and Saly were inspired by the artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi. They were also fascinated by Roman ruins. These ruins reminded them of Europe's past. They thought these old buildings could inspire a new design style for everyone.
After his studies, Jardin worked as an architect in Paris from 1753 to 1754.
A Royal Invitation to Denmark
Jardin's friend, the sculptor Jacques Saly, moved to Denmark in 1752. Saly was working for the Danish royal family. He told King Frederik V about Jardin. The King was looking for someone to take over the design of Frederik's Church. This church is now known as The Marble Church. Work on it had started in 1749.
In October 1754, Jardin signed a contract to come to Denmark. He received a good salary. His younger brother, Louis Henri Jardin, who was less experienced, also got a job.
The brothers arrived in Copenhagen that autumn. In January 1755, they both became members of the Royal Danish Academy of Art. They also became professors there. People say they gave lectures in French. Many students did not understand them. This was common because many teachers were foreigners, especially French. Jacques Saly, their friend, was even the Director of the Academy. Nicolas-Henri taught architecture, and Louis Henri taught perspective.
Frederik’s Church and Other Major Projects
On April 1, 1756, Jardin took over the building of Frederik's Church. His first designs were very new for Denmark. They looked like later styles by famous architects. However, the King's advisors rejected these plans. They were far too expensive to build.
Jardin then showed new drawings to the King in the summer of 1756. The King liked them and approved them. Even so, the Royal Building Commission still thought they were too costly. The King promised money for the project, but it was never fully funded.
The plans for the church were huge, and building went slowly. In 1760, Jardin became the Royal Building Master. This meant he was in charge of all royal castles, buildings, and parks in Denmark. He held this important job until 1770.
Jardin also worked on the inside of the Moltke Palace. This palace is now called Christian VII’s Palace. It is part of Amalienborg. He decorated it between 1756 and 1759.
Sadly, his younger brother Louis Henri died in 1759 at age 29. Nicolas-Henri then took over his teaching position at the Academy. Before 1760, Jardin became an honorary member of academies in Florence and Bologna.
In 1759, he started designing Bernstorff Palace near Gentofte. This project lasted until 1765. He also worked on Lundehave, now called Marienlyst Castle, from 1758 to 1762. The garden at Bernstorff Palace was finished in 1768.
In 1762, he became a member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. He traveled to France in 1762 and 1763. By 1764, Frederik’s Church was only about 9.4 meters tall. In 1765, Jardin published a book of his church designs. It was called "Plans, coupés et elevations de l'église royale de Frédéric V".
Changes in the Royal Court
King Frederik V, who had supported Jardin, died on January 14, 1766. His son, Christian VII, became the new king. The new king was young and sometimes unstable. From 1768 to 1769, Jardin traveled to France, England, Holland, and Belgium. He became an honorary member of the Academy in Marseille before 1769. In 1769, he received a special award in France called the Order of Saint Michael.
By 1770, people realized Frederik's Church was taking too long to build. It was estimated that the outside would not be done until 1797. The inside would take another 50 years! Because of new cost-cutting rules, building stopped on November 9, 1770. Materials were sold, and Jardin was removed from his job as Church Building Master. He received severance pay.
Leaving Denmark and Returning to France
In early 1771, the government changed. People in Denmark started to dislike foreigners in powerful jobs. Jardin resigned from his teaching job at the Academy on March 26, 1771. He then left Denmark. Some of his students had become famous architects themselves.
His friend Jacques Saly, who had been the Academy Director for 17 years, also resigned soon after. In 1772, Jardin became an extraordinary member of the Academy.
On December 23, 1771, Jardin became a member of the French Academy of Art in Paris. On May 11, 1778, King Louis XV named him Royal Architect. On March 10, 1792, he became a first-class member of the French Academy of Art.
During the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror (1793-1794), Jardin went back to his hometown. He died there in 1799.
New plans were made to finish Frederik's Church in 1795. However, actual building did not start again until 1874.
Selected Works
- Yellow Mansion, Copenhagen (1764-1767)
- Interior work at Christiansborg Palace (1761-1767). This included the Great Hall, which burned down in 1794.
- Redesign of Fredensborg Palace Garden and Park (1759-1766). He worked with Johannes Wiedewelt.
- Redesign of summer home at Bernstorff Palace (1759-1765). The gardens were finished in 1768.
- Redesign of Marienlyst Castle (1759-1763)
- Interior work at Bregentved (1762-1764)
- Rebuilding of Glorup Estate on Funen (1763-1765)
