Richard Mique facts for kids
Richard Mique (born September 18, 1728 – died July 8, 1794) was a famous French architect. He was known for designing buildings in the Neoclassical style. This style was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art.
Mique is most remembered for creating the beautiful Hameau de la Reine (Queen's Hamlet). This was a special village built for Marie Antoinette in the gardens of the Petit Trianon. The Petit Trianon is part of the huge Palace of Versailles.
Richard Mique's Life Story
Richard Mique was born in Nancy, a city in Lorraine. His father, Simon Mique, and his grandfather, Pierre Mique, were also architects. Richard followed in their footsteps.
He started his career working for Duke Stanislas Leszczyński. Stanislas was the former King of Poland and the father of Maria Leszczyńska. Maria later became the wife of King Louis XV of France.
After another architect named Héré de Corny passed away, Mique became the main architect for Stanislas. He helped with big plans to improve and decorate Nancy, which was Stanislas's capital city. Stanislas even made him a knight!
After Stanislas died in 1766, Mique was invited to France. This was suggested by Maria Leszczyńska's confessor. At first, another architect named Ange-Jacques Gabriel made it hard for Mique to get big royal jobs.
However, Mique found work with several royal women. For Queen Maria Leszczyńska, he built a convent in Versailles. After the Queen died, her daughter, Madame Adélaïde, finished the project.
Mique must have impressed the future King and Queen. When Louis XVI became king in 1774, Mique was given important roles. He became the chief supervisor of royal buildings. The next year, he became the main architect to King Louis XVI. This meant he was in charge of the last building projects at Versailles before the French Revolution.
He also designed the Queen's garden at the Petit Trianon. He worked on this from 1774 to 1785. Many believe he worked with the painter Hubert Robert on this project. Mique also built the Hameau de la Reine. This was a pretend farming village with an artificial lake.
During the French Revolution, Mique and his son were arrested. They were accused of being involved in a plan to help Marie Antoinette. Mique had been her favorite architect. They were put on trial and sentenced to death. Both father and son were executed on July 8, 1794. This happened just a few weeks before the end of the Reign of Terror.
A historian named Pierre de Nolhac later described Mique as "a learned, skilled artist, worthy of more fame." Today, a street in Versailles is named after him.
Richard Mique's Designs and Buildings
Here are some of the important buildings and designs Richard Mique created:
- 1762: His first known design was for a small building called a kiosk in the gardens of Lunéville.
- 1763-1764: He designed two city gates for Nancy. These were the Porte Sainte-Catherine and the Porte Stanislas. They showed his new Neoclassical style.
- 1765: He made plans for the Sainte-Catherine barracks in Nancy.
- 1767-1772: He built an Ursuline convent in Versailles for Queen Maria Leszczyńska. This building is now a school called Lycée Hoche.
- 1775-1784: He designed all the buildings and the bridge for the Hameau de la Reine. This was the charming village in the Petit Trianon garden at Versailles. He likely worked with painter Hubert Robert on this natural-looking garden.
- 1775-1785: He built the Church of the Carmelites in Saint-Denis. This was for Madame Louise, who was Louis XVI's aunt and had become a nun. The church has a grand entrance with columns, similar to an ancient Roman temple.
- 1777: He created a special "Turkish boudoir" (a private sitting room) for Marie Antoinette at the Chateau de Fontainebleau.
- 1778-1779: He designed Marie Antoinette's private theater at the Petit Trianon.
- 1778-1781: He built the octagonal Belvedere, the Pavillon du Rocher, and the Temple de l'Amour (Temple of Love) in the Petit Trianon gardens. The Temple of Love could be seen from the Queen's bedroom and was used for many parties.
- 1780: He designed the Hôtel de l'Intendance in Versailles.
- 1780s: He made changes to the Château de Bellevue for the daughters of Louis XV. He added 42,000 new trees to the park.
- 1782: He helped strengthen the tower at the Cathedral of Orléans.
- 1785: He made changes to the Château de Saint-Cloud for Marie Antoinette.
- 1785: He designed a boudoir (private room) for Marie Antoinette at the Petit Trianon.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Mique para niños
