The building, completely symmetrical except for the sculptural decoration, consists of a circular cella with a pierced dome, decorated with vases, friezes and a central fountain supported by caryatids. The exterior of this building is decorated with friezes of dancing maenads, rais-de-coeur, and garlands.
This first round building is surrounded by an octagonal colonnade topped by a terrace with balustrades, and a circular drum decorated with figures in relief. The water of the central fountain finally pours out in large basins composing four fountains under arcs between the four stairs lined with sphinxes.
The drawings on laid paper have no written records outside a measure of "6 toises". The attribution to Antoine-François Peyre is based on an apocryphal handwritten text on the back of a sheet, certainly known by transmission. The style is consistent with the style of a known sketchbook of drawings after Peyre by one of his students.
Antoine-François Peyre (1739-1823), brother of the famous architect Marie Joseph Peyre, was the winner of the grand prize of the Academy (later known as Rome Prize) in 1762, and staid at the Académie de France in Rome until 1766. Becoming royal architect to Fontainebleau and Saint-Germain-en-Laye on his return, he was sent to the Elector of Trier, Prince Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony in 1777, to complete his castle in Koblenz. Refugee at Fontainebleau during the French Revolution, he was imprisoned there during the Terror.
Peyre, who in 1777 also entered the Royal Academy of Architecture, is also a teacher. Among his pupils were Charles Percier, Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, Antoine Vaudoyer and Louis-Pierre Baltard.
Some stains, especially on the section drawing. Folds and wrinkles. The beautiful frames showing some lacks in the gilding.
Frame dimensions: 63 cm by 53.5 cm
Views dimensions: 38.5 cm by 31 cm
Price : 12 000 € -
