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134-548: The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much lavish internal decoration in Baroque and Rococo styles. A large formal garden surrounded by woodland was added behind the palace, including a belvedere , a mausoleum , a theatre and a pavilion. During the Second World War , the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed. The palace with its gardens

268-406: A Feldjäger ", whereupon he continued his journey. After that episode he never saw the king again. Frederick II had apparently provided sketches of his own for all major buildings on which Knobelsdorff worked, and it is not always possible to determine the extent of his contribution. Whoever wants to evaluate his share in the creative process must also consider that the king's sketches might reflect

402-534: A cour d'honneur and semicircular colonnades just north of the street Unter den Linden . In front of that he planned a spacious square with two free-standing buildings—an opera house and a hall for ball games. Soon after Frederick acceded to the throne in May 1740, foundation testing began, as well as negotiations about the purchase and demolition of 54 houses that interfered with the project. Already on August 19, 1740, all these preparations were discontinued, supposedly because

536-649: A blaze of light. Hovering overhead, Mercury heralds the arrival of the life-giving god and Saturn ushers in the Golden Age with his scythe. Coxie also included images of the Four Continents as well as the Four Seasons, which are familiar allusions to political power and thus affirm the greatness of Frederick I. Inside the palace, was a room described as "the eighth wonder of the world", the Amber Room ( Bernsteinzimmer ),

670-438: A brief period of training under the architects Kemmeter and von Wangenheim. This breed of "gentlemen architects" was not unusual in the 16th and 17th centuries, and they were esteemed both socially and because of their specialized competence. They trained themselves by studying actual buildings on extensive travels as well as collections of engravings showing views of classical and contemporary buildings. Knobelsdorff's ideal models,

804-485: A building style developed which was widespread in the 17th century in Protestant and Anglican Northern Europe, especially England. In contrast to the simultaneous baroque style with its silhouettes and concave-convex frontage reliefs, Palladianism made use of classically simple, clear shapes. Knobelsdorff also undertook to follow this style on almost all his buildings, at least as far as the exteriors. He did not simply copy

938-585: A campaign against King Charles XII of Sweden , and in 1715 in the siege of Stralsund . While still a soldier he developed his artistic talents in self-study. After leaving military service he arranged to be trained in various painting techniques by the Prussian court painter Antoine Pesne , with whom he shared a lifelong friendship. Knobelsdorff also acquired additional expertise in geometry and anatomy . He saw his professional future in painting, and his pictures and drawings were always highly appreciated, even after

1072-499: A central element. The Early Baroque (1584–1625) was largely dominated by the work of Roman architects, notably the Church of the Gesù by Giacomo della Porta (consecrated 1584) façade and colonnade of St. Peter's Basilica by Carlo Maderno (completed 1612) and the lavish Barberini Palace interiors by Pietro da Cortona (1633–1639), and Santa Susanna (1603), by Carlo Maderno. In France,

1206-547: A decree which initiated the redesign of the Berlin Tiergarten to make it the "Parc de Berlin". The document pointed out that Baron Knobelsdorff had received precise instructions concerning the changeover. The Tiergarten, in times past the private hunting grounds of the Electors and greatly neglected under Frederick's father, was to be turned into the public park and gardens of the royal residence city Berlin. In order to protect

1340-519: A design. Beginning in 1664, Bernini proposed several Baroque variants, but in the end the King selected a design by a French architect, Charles Perrault , in a more classical variant of Baroque. This gradually became the Louis XIV style . Louis was soon engaged in an even larger project, the construction of the new Palace of Versailles . The architects chosen were Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart , and

1474-537: A distance to the royal court. An attempt to bridge this gap ended in failure. The king summoned him to Potsdam in summer 1750, but soon got annoyed about some comment of the architect's and ordered him to return to Berlin. Knobelsdorff immediately set out, but halfway to Berlin a Feldjäger (military policeman) caught up with him with the message that he was to return to the court. According to tradition his response was, "The king himself ordered me to return to Berlin. I well know whether I have to follow his orders or those of

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1608-501: A few subjects important to both of them came to a natural end when the crown prince acceded to the throne as Frederick II in 1740 and concentrated on new areas such as waging war and administering the state, which meant he had to establish and maintain contacts with a much larger circle of advisors and collaborators. Since Frederick recognized the qualities of Knobelsdorff and expected great things of him he immediately bombarded him with work, but also gave him titles and awards and allocated

1742-631: A form faithful to the original to a large extent. Potsdam City Palace . This baroque edifice was completed in 1669. After plans for a new palace residence in Berlin were abandoned, Frederick the Great had the castle rebuilt by Knobelsdorff between 1744 and 1752, with rich interior decorations in rococo style. His changes to the frontage had the goal of lightening up the massive building. Pilasters and figures of light colored sandstone clearly projected from red plaster surfaces. Numerous decorative elements were added and

1876-421: A fruit and a vegetable garden, and turned out to be a useful investment. Knobelsdorff himself read books about the care of fruit trees and the cultivation of vegetables. One of them, ( Ecole du Jardin potageur ) contained a taxonomy of various kinds of vegetables, organized according to their curative powers. This gave rise to the suspicion that Knobelsdorff hoped for some relief from his chronic health problems from

2010-512: A large courtyard, and the main palace was extended on both sides. Sophie Charlotte died in 1705 and Frederick named the palace and its estate Charlottenburg in her memory. In the following years, the Orangery was built on the west of the palace and the central area was extended with a large domed tower and a larger vestibule. On top of the dome is a wind vane in the form of a gilded statue representing Fortuna designed by Andreas Heidt . The Orangery

2144-406: A lavish exterior contrasting with a relatively simple interior and multiple spaces. They carefully planned lighting in the interior to give an impression of mystery. Early 18th century, Notable Spanish examples included the new west façade of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral , (1738–50), with its spectacular towers, by Fernando de Casas Novoa . In Seville , Leonardo de Figueroa was the creator of

2278-467: A little Apollo temple of classical design. This was the first construction of its type on the European continent and Knobelsdorff's first creation as Frederick the Great's architect. This was where they made music, philosophized , and celebrated, and also after the crown prince had moved to nearby Rheinsberg Castle he frequently visited the temple garden during visits connected with his duties as commander in

2412-533: A magnificent house in Leipziger Strasse for his use while in his service. He was given overall control of all royal buildings, and was also director of plays and musical performances (until 1742). Besides his specific architectural duties he had to carry out administrative tasks and deal with many side issues, such as arranging for fireworks in the Charlottenburg Palace gardens, design decorations for

2546-467: A new part of the building arose, east of the original palace and known as the new wing or Knobelsdorff wing. It contained two rooms famous for their decoration. The White Hall, Frederick the Great's dining and throne room with a ceiling painting by Pesne, leaves a restrained, almost Classicist, impression. By contrast, the Golden Gallery with its very rich ornamentation, green and gold colors is considered

2680-470: A painter: "Although it does not really belong in a history of architecture.—he produced many paintings, all of them directly from nature. He paid attention to every detail which he thought could be of possible future use, and sketched them in his notebook, which he kept in a particular place of his clothing. These drawings are free and easy and dashed off in his own masterly way. [...] The same can also be said of his landscape paintings, because everything in them

2814-416: A perspective and picturesque way", but praised his paintings. Frederick the Great, in contrast, commented positively on the architect's "picturesque style" ( gout pittoresque ). There is also no evidence that the informal style of his drawings ever posed a serious impediment to the execution of his buildings. Knobelsdorff acquired the expertise needed for his new profession again primarily in self-study, after

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2948-478: A plain garden house. The wall and ceiling paintings in several rooms were considered to be a present from Antoine Pesne to his student and friend. The building was demolished in 1938. A number of biographers were of the opinion that Knobelsdorff used his property in the Tiergarten only to spend the idyllic summer months there together with his family each year, but this land was actually intensively cultivated as both

3082-526: A room with its walls surfaced in decorative amber . It was designed by Andreas Schlüter, and its construction by the Danish amber craftsman Gottfried Wolfram started in 1701. Frederick William I gave the Amber Room to Tsar Peter the Great as a present in 1716. When Frederick I died in 1713, he was succeeded by his son, Frederick William I]] whose building plans were less ambitious, although he did ensure that

3216-545: A traffic accident between Rome and Florence. He was unable to carry out a secret mission which involved engaging Italian opera singers to come to Rheinsburg since the available funds were inadequate. Knobelsdorff wrote to the crown prince that "The castrati here cannot be tempted to leave [...] regular employment, especially for those from the poorer classes, is the reason why they prefer 100 Rthlr ( Reichstaler ) in Rome to thousands abroad. In autumn 1740, shortly after Frederick assumed

3350-416: A wide popular audience. One of the first Baroque architects, Carlo Maderno , used Baroque effects of space and perspective in the new façade and colonnade of Saint Peter's Basilica , which was designed to contrast with and complement the gigantic dome built earlier by Michelangelo . Other influential early examples in Rome included the Church of the Gesù by Giacomo della Porta (consecrated 1584), with

3484-729: Is San Cristobal de las Casas in Mexico. A notable example in Brazil is the São Bento Monastery in Rio de Janeiro . begun in 1617, with additional decoration after 1668. The Metropolitan Tabernacle the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral , to the right of the main cathedral, built by Lorenzo Rodríguez between 1749 and 1760, to house the archives and vestments of the archbishop, and to receive visitors. Portuguese colonial architecture

3618-705: Is a gentleman of serious disposition and with a somewhat stern visage, but of considerable merit. His external appearance is neither charming nor courtly, but that makes him no less admirable. I compare him to a beautiful oak tree, and you know, it is not at all necessary for all the trees in a garden to be trimmed into arches as gracefully as in Marly" (translation). Heinrich Ludwig Manger mentions Knobelsdorff in his " Baugeschichte von Potsdam " (1789/90). After listing 30 pieces of architecture which were realized in Potsdam alone according to his plans, he also writes about Knobelsdorff as

3752-661: Is a highly decorative and theatrical style which appeared in Italy in the late 16th century and gradually spread across Europe. It was originally introduced by the Catholic Church , particularly by the Jesuits , as a means to combat the Reformation and the Protestant church with a new architecture that inspired surprise and awe. It reached its peak in the High Baroque (1625–1675), when it

3886-433: Is a major tourist attraction. The original palace was commissioned by Sophie Charlotte , the wife of Frederick III , Elector of Brandenburg in what was then the village of Lietzow. Named Lietzenburg , the palace was designed by Johann Arnold Nering in Baroque style. It consisted of one wing and was built in 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 stories with a central cupola . The façade was decorated with Corinthian pilasters . On

4020-430: Is not clear how Knobelsdorff could have purchased such a considerable collection. There was no regular art market at that time in Berlin; at most, there were individual sales or legacy auctions which sometimes also included works of art. Probably contacts with Amsterdam and Rotterdam, centers of a thriving Dutch art market, were of use. The focus of his art collection was on landscape painting, especially Dutch paintings from

4154-623: Is one of Knobelsdorff's late works. For the Huguenot congregation he designed a small round building which recalled the Pantheon in Rome. Construction was carried out by Jan Boumann, whose talents as an architect were not esteemed by Knobelsdorff, but who was often preferred for commissions in later years. The church has an oval ground plan of about 15:20 meters and a free-floating dome which 80 years later Karl Friedrich Schinkel declared to be very daring as to its statics. The modest interior gives

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4288-664: Is preserved in the Protestant Friedhof I der Jerusalems- und Neuen Kirchengemeinde (Cemetery No. I of the congregations of Jerusalem's Church and New Church ) in Berlin-Kreuzberg , south of Hallesches Tor . Karl Begas the younger created a statue of Knobelsdorff in 1886. This originally stood in the entrance hall of the Altes Museum (in Berlin) and is now in a depot of the state museum. Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff,

4422-701: The Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and the Wurzburg Residence (1749–51). These works were among the final expressions of the Rococo or the Late Baroque. By the early 18th century, Baroque buildings could be found in all parts of Italy, often with regional variations. Notable examples included the Basilica of Superga , overlooking Turin , by Filippo Juvarra (1717–1731), which was later used as model for

4556-527: The Basilica of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and the Würzburg Residence (1749–51). Baroque architecture first appeared in the late 16th and early 17th century in religious architecture in Rome as a means to counter the popular appeal of the Protestant Reformation . It was a reaction against the more severe and academic earlier style of earlier churches, it aimed to inspire the common people with

4690-472: The Berlinische Nachrichten reported, "On the 16th of this month the honorable gentleman, Mr. George Wentzel, Baron of Knobelsdorff, artistic director of all royal palaces, houses and gardens, director-in-chief of all construction in all provinces, as well as finance, war and domain councillor, departed this life after a prolonged illness in the 53rd year of his renowned existence." On September 18 he

4824-656: The Church of Saint Augustine, Antwerp . Other churches are for example the St. Charles Borromeo Church, Antwerp (1615-1621) and the St. Walburga Church (Bruges) (1619-1641), both built by Pieter Huyssens . Later, secular buildings, such as the Guildhalls on the Grand-Place in Brussels and several Belfries , were constructed too. The first example of early Baroque in Central Europe

4958-851: The Churrigueresque style. The Baroque style was imported into Latin America in the 17th century by the Spanish and the Portuguese, particularly by the Jesuits for the construction of churches. The style was sometimes called Churrigueresque , after the family of Baroque architects in Salamanca . A particularly fine example is Zacatecas Cathedral in Zacatecas City , in north-central Mexico, with its lavishly sculpted façade and twin bell towers. Another important example

5092-516: The Luxembourg Palace (1615–1624) by architect Salomon de Brosse , and for a new wing of the Château of Blois by François Mansard (1635–38). Nicolas Fouquet , the superintendent of finances for the young King Louis XIV , chose the new style for his château at Vaux-le-Vicomte (1612–1670) by Louis Le Vau . He was later imprisoned by the King because of the extravagant cost of the palace. In

5226-591: The Luxembourg Palace (1615–45) built by Salomon de Brosse for Marie de' Medici was an early example of the style. The High Baroque (1625–1675) produced major works in Rome by Pietro da Cortona, including the (Church of Santi Luca e Martina ) (1635–50); by Francesco Borromini ( San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (1634–1646)); and by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (The colonnade of St. Peter's Square ) (1656–57). In Venice , High Baroque works included Santa Maria della Salute by Baldassare Longhena . Examples in France included

5360-659: The Palacio de San Telmo , with a façade inspired by the Italian Baroque. The most ornate works of the Spanish Baroque were made by Jose Benito de Churriguera in Madrid and Salamanca. In his work, the buildings are nearly overwhelmed by the ornament of gilded wood, gigantic twisting columns, and sculpted vegetation. His two brothers, Joaquin and Alberto, also made important, if less ornamented, contributions to what became known simply as

5494-757: The Panthéon in Paris. The Stupinigi Palace (1729–31) was a hunting lodge and one of the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy near Turin. It was also built Filippo Juvarra . The Late Baroque period in France saw the evolving decoration of the Palace of Versailles , including the Hall of Mirrors and the Chapel . Later in the period, during the reign of Louis XV , a new, more ornate variant,

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5628-700: The Pavillon de l’Horloge of the Louvre Palace by Jacques Lemercier (1624–1645), the Chapel of the Sorbonne by Jacques Lemercier (1626–35) and the Château de Maisons by François Mansart (1630–1651). The Late Baroque (1675–1750) saw the style spread to all parts of Europe, and to the colonies of Spain and Portugal in the New World. National styles became more varied and distinct. The Late Baroque in France, under Louis XIV ,

5762-663: The Rocaille style, or French Rococo, appeared in Paris and flourished between about 1723 and 1759. The most prominent example was the salon of the Princess in Hôtel de Soubise in Paris, designed by Germain Boffrand and Charles-Joseph Natoire (1735–40). Christopher Wren was the leading figure of the late Baroque in England, with his reconstruction of St. Paul's Cathedral (1675–1711) inspired by

5896-746: The Southern Netherlands , the Baroque architecture was introduced by the Catholic Church in the context of the Counter-Reformation and the Eighty Years' War . After the separation of the Netherlands Baroque churches were set up across the country. One of the first architects was Wenceslas Cobergher (1560-1634), who built the Basilica of Our Lady of Scherpenheuvel from 1609 until 1627 and

6030-469: The Apollo Hall, the spectator viewing area, and the stage. By technical means they could be turned into one large room for major festivities. Knobelsdorff described the technical features in a Berlin newspaper, proudly commenting that "this theater is one of the longest and widest in the world". In 1843 the building burned down to the foundation. In World War II it suffered several times from bombing. Each time

6164-459: The Belgian therapeutic baths at Spa brought no relief. On September 7, 1753, only a short while before his death, Knobelsdorff wrote to the king, "when the pain briefly stopped". He thanked him "for all the kindness and all the benefits Your Majesty has showered on me during my lifetime". At the same time he requested that his two daughters be recognized as his legal heirs. That was problematic because

6298-594: The Carp Pond. The building was used as a teahouse and as a viewing-tower. Langhans also designed the Palace Theatre, which was built between 1788 and 1791 to the west of the Orangery wing. The mausoleum was built as a tomb for Queen Louise between 1810 and 1812 in neoclassical style to a design by Heinrich Gentz . After the death of Frederick William III, it was extended; this design being by Karl Friedrich Schinkel . It

6432-579: The Englishmen Inigo Jones (1573–1652) and William Kent (1684–1748) as well as the Frenchman Claude Perrault (1613–1688), likewise grew into their professions in a roundabout way and were no longer young men when they turned to architecture. Knobelsdorff gained the attention of King Frederick William I of Prussia (the "Soldier-King"), who had him join the entourage of his son, crown prince Frederick, later King Frederick II (Frederick

6566-399: The Great , would later achieve the title King of Prussia). Two years previously, he had appointed Johann Friedrich von Eosander (also known as Eosander von Göthe) as the royal architect and sent him to study architectural developments in Italy and France, particularly the Palace of Versailles . On his return in 1702, Eosander began to extend the palace, starting with two side wings to enclose

6700-426: The Great arranged for the construction of a summer house in Potsdam ("Lust-Haus zu Potsdam"). He had made quite specific sketches of what he desired, and had Knobelsdorff take care of the realization. They specified a single storey building resting on the ground of the vineyard terraces on the southern slope of the Bornstedt Heights in northwest Potsdam. Knobelsdorff raised objections to this idea; he wanted to increase

6834-520: The Great had a lively interest in both and developed some pertinent expertise, but remained an outsider for whom concern with architecture could not be the main focus of attention. He sometimes compared his interest in these matters with the lighthearted pleasure of a child playing with dolls. Both the king and his architect were uncompromising, occasionally brusque personalities. Accordingly, different views about factual issues increasingly turned into personal tensions. When Knobelsdorff strongly disagreed with

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6968-466: The Great). After his failed attempt to flee Prussia and subsequent imprisonment in Küstrin, (now Polish Kostrzyn nad Odrą ), Frederick had just been granted somewhat more freedom of movement by his strict father. Apparently, the king hoped that Knobelsdorff, as a sensible and artistically talented nobleman, would have a moderating influence on his son. (The sources vary as to what prompted the first meeting between Knobelsdorff and Frederick, but they all date

7102-423: The Italian Jesuit architect Giovanni Maria Bernardoni . Pope Urban VIII , who occupied the Papacy from 1623 to 1644, became the most influential patron of the Baroque style. After the death of Carlo Maderno in 1629, Urban named the architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini as the chief Papal architect. Bernini created not only Baroque buildings, but also Baroque interiors, squares and fountains, transforming

7236-421: The King, in charge of all royal architectural projects. The Académie royale d'architecture was founded in 1671, with the mission of making Paris, not Rome, the artistic and architectural model for the world. The first architectural project of Louis XIV was a proposed reconstruction of the façade of the east wing of the Louvre Palace. Bernini , then Europe's most famous architect, was summoned to Paris to submit

7370-400: The Neuruppin garrison. In 1736 the crown prince gave Knobelsdorff an opportunity to go on a study tour to Italy, which lasted until spring 1737. His stops included Rome, Naples and vicinity, Florence and Venice . His recorded his impressions in a travel sketchbook which contains almost one hundred pencil drawings, but only of part of his trip since on the return stretch he broke his arm in

7504-430: The Prince Heinrich Palace, and between 1775 and 1786 the Royal Library was erected. The final square bore little resemblance to the original plan, but was highly praised already by contemporaries and also in this form caused the royal architect to achieve great eminence. The terms "Frederick's Forum" and "Forum Fridericianum" only appeared in specialist literature in the 19th century and were never officially used to refer to

7638-485: The State of Berlin in Cemetery No. 1 of the Jerusalem and New Church congregation brings to mind Knobelsdorff and Pesne. As an architect Knobelsdorff was greatly influenced by Andrea Palladio 's buildings and theoretical works on architecture. This important Italian architect of the High Renaissance published in 1570 the definitive work, " Quattro libri dell´architettura " containing his own creations as well numerous drawings of antique architecture. Stimulated by Palladio,

7772-430: The Throne Room and the Golden Gallery, was designed mainly by Johann August Nahl . In 1747, a second apartment for the king was prepared in the distant eastern part of the wing. During this time, Sanssouci was being built at Potsdam , and once this was completed Frederick was only an occasional visitor to Charlottenburg. In 1786, Frederick was succeeded by his nephew Frederick William II , who transformed five rooms on

7906-521: The architect Jacques Lemercier to Rome between 1607 and 1614 to study the new style. On his return to France, he designed the Pavillon de l’Horloge of the Louvre Palace (beginning 1626), and, more importantly, the Sorbonne Chapel , the first church dome in Paris. It was designed in 1626, and construction began in 1635. The next important French Baroque project was a much larger dome for the church of Val-de-Grâce begun in 1645 by Lemercier and François Mansart , and finished in 1715. A third Baroque dome

8040-417: The backing of the king, he created the basis for the Frederician Rococo style at Rheinsberg , which was the residence of the crown prince and later monarch. Knobelsdorff was the head custodian of royal buildings and head of a privy council on financial matters. In 1746 he was dismissed by the king, and Johann Boumann finished all his projects, including Sanssouci . Knobelsdorff died in Berlin. His grave

8174-596: The beginning the main fashions of his time and provided superb examples of late baroque decorative art in his Frederician rococo style, which was inspired by French models. Knobelsdorff was an enthusiastic collector of art, a fact unknown until the recent discovery of old inventory lists. He bequeathed to his friend, Lieutenant Colonel von Keith, an extensive collection of paintings and engravings virtually unmatched in 18th century Berlin. The trustees of his estate counted and appraised 368 paintings valued at ca. 5400 Reichstaler and over 100 engravings worth 400 Reichstaler . It

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8308-503: The blue-lacquered copper-covered roofs were crowned with richly decorated chimneys. Many of these details were soon lost and not replaced. In World War II the building was badly damaged and 1959/60 what was left was completely removed. The Brandenburg State Parliament decided to have the City Palace rebuilt by 2011, at least as to its exterior. Since 2002 a copy of part of the building, the so-called Fortuna portico, has been reconstructed at its historic location. On January 13, 1745, Frederick

8442-468: The building was properly maintained. Building was resumed after his son Frederick II (Frederick the Great) came to the throne in 1740. During that year, stables for his personal guard regiment were completed to the south of the Orangery wing and work was started on the east wing. The building of the new wing was supervised by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff , the superintendent of all the Royal Palaces, who largely followed Eosander's design. The decoration of

8576-407: The center of Rome into an enormous theater. Bernini rebuilt the Church of Santa Bibiana and the Church of San Sebastiano al Palatino on the Palatine Hill into Baroque landmarks, planned the Fontana del Tritone in the Piazza Barberini , and created the soaring baldacchino as the centerpiece of St Peter's Basilica . The High Baroque spread gradually across Italy, beyond Rome. The period saw

8710-456: The colonies of Spain and Portugal in the New World and the Philippines. It often took different names, and the regional variations became more distinct. A particularly ornate variant appeared in the early 18th century, called Rocaille in France and Rococo in Spain and Central Europe. The sculpted and painted decoration covering every space on the walls and ceiling. The most prominent architects of this style included Balthasar Neumann , noted for

8844-420: The construction of Santa Maria della Salute by Baldassare Longhena in Venice (1630–31). Churches were not the only buildings to use the Baroque style. One of the finest monuments of the early Baroque is the Barberini Palace (1626–1629), the residence of the family of Urban VIII, begun by Carlo Maderno, and completed and decorated by Bernini and Francesco Borromini . The outside of the Pope's family residence,

8978-399: The court gardener Justus Ehrenreich Sello, began the modification of these late Barock pleasure grounds in the style of the new ideal of an English landscape park . Toward the end of the 18th century there was hardly anything left of Knobelsdorff's version except for the main features of the system of paths. But the fact remains that he designed the first park in Germany open to the public from

9112-411: The crown prince became a place of relaxed communion and artistic creativity, quite in contrast to the dry, matter-of-fact atmosphere at the Berlin court of the soldier-king. This was where Frederick and Knobelsdorff discussed architecture and city planning , and developed their first ideas for an extensive program of construction which was to be realized when the crown prince assumed the throne. Rheinsberg

9246-404: The design of the Golden Gallery in the New Wing of Charlottenburg Palace, a masterpiece of Frederician rokoko, built between 1741 and 1746. It was destroyed in World War II and later rebuilt. The artist, who himself had a lifelong affinity with nature, created here an artistic realm which was intended to evoke and glorify nature. At the same time the scenery of the actual palace park was brought into

9380-450: The effects of surprise, emotion and awe. To achieve this, it used a combination of contrast, movement, trompe-l'œil and other dramatic and theatrical effects, such as quadratura —the use of painted ceilings that gave the illusion that one was looking up directly at the sky. The new style was particularly favored by the new religious orders, including the Theatines and the Jesuits , who built new churches designed to attract and inspire

9514-478: The ensemble its present form. He extended the grounds by a second tower and matching building wing and by a colonnade connecting both towers. As a significant construction, this design was planned already in Rheinsberg as a signal for the start Frederick's reign. In Berlin the king wanted to have a new city palace that could stand up to the splendid residences of major European powers. Knobelsdorff designed an extensive building complex with inner courtyards and in front

9648-514: The epitome of Frederician rococo . The contrast between these two neighboring rooms makes clear the range of Knobelsdorff's artistic forms of expression. The king's interest in Charlottenburg waned as he began to consider Potsdam as a second official residence, started to build there, and finally lived there. Charlottenburg Palace was heavily damaged in World War II and after 1945 reconstructed in

9782-455: The event as being in 1732.) At the time the crown prince, who had been appointed a colonel when he turned 20, took over responsibility for a regiment in the garrison town of Neuruppin . Knobelsdorf became his partner in discussions and advised him on issues of art and architecture. Immediately in front of the city walls they jointly planned the Amalthea garden, which contained a monopteros,

9916-515: The exterior was relatively simple but the interior furnishings were rich with painting and sculpture, textiles, and mirrors. The ground floor was intended for Frederick's wife Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern , who, preferring Schönhausen Palace however, was only an occasional visitor. The especially splendid decoration of the upper floor, which included the White Hall, the Banqueting Hall,

10050-589: The fact that he "no longer pays attention to orderliness and correctness." This was the start of a permanent estrangement. Although Knobelsdorff continued to receive all types of building assignments—he designed the deer garden colonnade (Marble Colonnade), the Neptune grotto in Potsdam, the Neustadt Gate, several residences, the French Church, the obelisk on the market square and many other objects—for years he kept at

10184-468: The façades of the new palace were constructed around the earlier Marble Court between 1668 and 1678. The Baroque grandeur of Versailles, particularly the façade facing the garden and the Hall of Mirrors by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, became models for other palaces across Europe. During the period of the Late Baroque (1675–1750), the style appeared across Europe, from England and France to Central Europe and Russia, from Spain and Portugal to Scandinavia, and in

10318-439: The first Baroque façade and a highly ornate interior, and Santa Susanna (1603), by Carlo Maderno. The Jesuits soon imported the style to Paris. The Church of St-Gervais-et-St-Protais in Paris (1615–1621) had the first Baroque façade in France, featuring, like the Italian Baroque façades, the three superimposed classical orders. The Italian style of palaces was also imported to Paris by Marie de' Medici for her new residence,

10452-633: The first half of the 18th century a distinctive Vilnian Baroque architectural style of the Late Baroque was formed in capital Vilnius (in which architecture was taught at Vilnius Jesuit Academy , Jesuits colleges , Dominican schools ) and spread throughout Lithuania. The most distinctive features of churches built in the Vilnian Baroque style are very tall and slender towers of the main façades with differently decorated compartments, undulation of cornices and walls, decorativeness in bright colors, and multi-colored marble and stucco altars in

10586-469: The focus of his activities turned elsewhere. His interest in architecture developed in a roundabout way, and came from representing buildings in his pictures. Later, the pictorial aspect of his architectural sketches was often noted and met with varying reactions. Heinrich Ludwig Manger, as an architect more a technician than an artist, wrote with a critical undertone in 1789 in his Baugeschichte von Potsdam , that Knobelsdorff designed his buildings "merely in

10720-483: The frontage of the externally modestly structured building the architect followed the model of two views from Colin Campbell's " Vitruvius Britannicus ", one of the most important collections of architectonic engravings, which included works of English Palladian architecture . For the interior he designed a series of three prominent rooms with different functions, which were at different levels, and were decorated differently:

10854-433: The girls came from a liaison not befitting his social class. The long-time bachelor Knobelsdorff had entered into a relationship with the "middle class" daughter of the Charlottenburg sacristan , Schöne, in 1746, thereby earning the disapproval of court society. Frederick II agreed to his request, however with the restriction that his title of nobility not be bequeathed. Knobelsdorff died on September 16, 1753. Two days later

10988-469: The ground floor of the east wing into his summer quarters and part of the upper floor into Winter Chambers, although he did not live long enough to use them. His son, Frederick William III , came to the throne in 1797 and reigned with his wife, Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz , for 43 years. They spent much of this time living in the east wing of Charlottenburg. In 1804, following Prussia's defeat at Jena-Auerstedt , Napoleon marched into Berlin and settled in

11122-607: The height of the building by adding a souterrain level to serve as a pedestal, plus a basement, and to move it forward to the edge of the terraces since it would otherwise look as if it had sunk into the ground if viewed from the foot of the vineyard hill. Frederick however insisted on his version. Even the suggestion that his plan increased the possibility of suffering from gout and catching cold did not cause Frederick to change his mind. Later he ran into these very difficulties, but bore them without complaint. After only two years of construction, Sansoussi Palace ("my little vineyard house")

11256-410: The house I gave you as a residence in berlin.... He does not carry out anything the way I want it and is as lazy as an artillery horse". In the beginning such disagreements were the exception . But from the start there was a fundamental disagreement which gradually became more and more evident. For Knobelsdorff, who was a serious artist, architecture and painting were at the core of his being. Frederick

11390-485: The impression of an amphitheater because of the encircling wooden balcony. As specified by the French Reformed Church service there were no embellishments—no cross, no baptismal font, no figural decoration. Frederick II handed over the completed church to the Potsdam congregation on September 16, 1753, the day of Knobelsdorff's death. In the 19th century Schinkel modified the interior fittings, since they had in

11524-514: The intended ground was unsuitable. But in fact the king's distant relatives refused to sell their palaces, which were located in the middle of the planned square. Frederick attempted to rescue the situation and sketched in modifications on the plan of the layout. When the First Silesian War (1740–1742) began, decisions about the Forum had to be postponed. However, even while the war was being waged

11658-725: The interiors. The Lithuanian nobility funded renovations and constructions of Late Baroque churches, monasteries (e.g. Pažaislis Monastery ) and their personal palaces (e.g. Sapieha Palace , Slushko Palace , Minor Radvilos Palace ). Notable architects who built buildings in a Late Baroque style in Lithuania are Johann Christoph Glaubitz , Thomas Zebrowski , Pietro Perti (cooperated with painters Michelangelo Palloni , Giovanni Maria Galli ), Giambattista Frediani, Pietro Puttini, Carlo Puttini, Jan Zaor , G. Lenkiewicz, Abraham Würtzner, Jan Valentinus Tobias Dyderszteyn, P. I. Hofer, Paolo Fontana  [ it ] , etc. Many of

11792-518: The king concerning plans for Sanssouci Palace, he was removed from his position of responsibility for the construction of the palace in April 1746, ostensibly for health reasons. In 1747 complete disorder was discovered in the expense accounts managed by the building controller, Fincke, who had for years been involved in major projects under Knobelsdorff's leadership. Frederick thereupon wrote a letter to his architect which "expressed his extreme displeasure" with

11926-568: The king wanted Knobelsdorff to begin construction of the opera house, today's Berlin State Opera ( Staatsoper Unter den Linden ). Work languished on the Forum also after the end of the war. Beginning of 1745 Frederick's increasing interest in Potsdam as a second residence became evident and the original plans moved into the background. Construction on the square with the opera house ( Opernplatz , today's Bebelplatz ) moved in another direction. In 1747 work began on St. Hedwig's Cathedral , in 1748 on

12060-585: The landmarks of the high Baroque. Another important monument of the period was the Church of Santi Luca e Martina in Rome by Pietro da Cortona (1635–50), in the form of a Greek cross with an elegant dome. After the death or Urban VIII and the brief reign of his successor, the Papacy of Pope Alexander VII from 1666 until 1667 saw more construction of Baroque churches, squares and fountains in Rome by Carlo Rainaldi , Bernini and Carlo Fontana . King Louis XIII had sent

12194-631: The latter's death he had, for example, the theater room and the marble hall of the Potsdam City Palace, both designed by Knobelsdorff, copied in the New Palace of Sanssouci—which suggests that the tensions which finally arose were not primarily a result of artistic differences but rather of personal touchiness. 'Jakob Friedrich Baron von Bielfeld ' , who was for a time part of the crown prince's retinue in Rheinsberg, wrote in 1739: "Mr. von Knobelsdorff

12328-449: The leading Baroque architect was Christoph Dientzenhofer , whose building featured complex curves and counter-curves and elliptical forms, making Prague , like Vienna, a capital of the late Baroque. Political and economic crises in the 17th century largely delayed the arrival of the Baroque in Spain until the late period, though the Jesuits strongly promoted it. Its early characteristics were

12462-402: The lengthy building. This version was gone already by 1755. Up until its almost total destruction in World War II the facing had a smooth white plaster coating. All remains of the building were cleared away in 1959/60. Charlottenburg Palace was hardly used under Frederick William I. His son considered residing there and right at the beginning of his reign had it enlarged by Knobelsdorff. Thus

12596-400: The meantime come into disrepair. The church had been built on a damp foundation so damages appeared in quick succession. The church had to be closed several times for periods of years, but in the end it even managed to survive World War II intact. The latest extensive renovations took place from 1990 to 2003. In 1753 Knobelsdorff's long-time liver disease became more troublesome. A journey to

12730-529: The model of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, his plan for Greenwich Hospital (begun 1695), and Hampton Court Palace (1690–96). Other British figures of the late Baroque included Inigo Jones for Wilton House (1632–1647 and two pupils of Wren, John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor , for Castle Howard (1699–1712) and Blenheim Palace (1705–1724). In the 17th century Late Baroque style buildings in Lithuania were built in an Italian Baroque style , however in

12864-458: The models but converted them into his own style (only after his death did direct copies of foreign frontages become common in Berlin and Potsdam). In the broad sense he already represented Classicism, which in the narrow sense only began in Prussia in the late 18th century and achieved its apex in the early 19th century with Karl Friedrich Schinkel . As to interior decoration, Knobelsdorff followed from

12998-739: The most extraordinary buildings of the Late Baroque were constructed in Austria, Germany, and Czechia. In Austria, the leading figure was Fischer von Erlach , who built the Karlskirche , the largest church of Vienna , to glorify the Habsburg emperors. These works sometimes borrowed elements from Versailles combined with elements of the Italian Baroque to create grandiose new effects, as in the Schwarzenberg Palace (1715). Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt used grand stairways and ellipses to achieve his effects at

13132-403: The mother of Frederick II. The pavilion soon turned out to be too small for the queen's representational needs, having only five rooms and a gallery. Under Knobelsdorff's leadership the building was expanded in two phases between 1738 and 1742 into an extensive, symmetrical structure with side wings and small pavilions. Surfaces with strong colors, gilding, ornaments and sculptures gave structure to

13266-476: The necessary drainage ditches the form of natural waterfalls, a solution which Friedrich II later praised. The actual work began with the improvement of the main axis of the park, a path which extended the boulevard Unter den Linden through the Tiergarten to Charlottenburg (now Strasse des 17. Juni . This road was lined with hedges, and the junction of eight avenues marked by the Berlin victory column (Siegessäule)

13400-418: The newly cultivated areas the practice of driving cattle on the grounds was forbidden with immediate effect. Frederick's interest in this project can also be recognized in a later decree, which forbade the removal of large bushes or trees without the specific permission of the king. As a precondition to redesigning the Tiergarten , large portions of the grounds had to be drained. In many cases Knobelsdorff gave

13534-399: The opera, and deal with horse stables in Berlin. Although Knobelsdorff usually provided only plans and projections and left their realization to experienced architects and technicians, the work was sometimes more than he could manage. This annoyed the impatient king. In 1732 he urged him to work faster, "so that I will have no reason to show my displeasure and to make changes in arrangements for

13668-483: The palace, which became his headquarters. Their eldest son, Frederick William IV , who reigned from 1840 to 1861, lived in the upper storey of the central palace building. After Frederick William IV died, the only other royal resident of the palace was Frederick III , who reigned for 99 days in 1888. The palace was badly damaged in 1943 during the Second World War . In 1951, the war-damaged Stadtschloss in East Berlin

13802-732: The palace. Coxie painted between 1701 and 1713 frescos and an altarpiece in the Palace Chapel and frescos in the Gobelin Gallery and Porcelain Room. The frescos in the Porcelain Room were blatant propaganda for the rule of Frederick I. They represent Aurora, the Goddess of Dawn, in her seven-horsed chariot chasing away Night and clearing the way for the Sun-God Apollo, who approaches in his chariot in

13936-468: The plants in his garden. The structural modifications to these three palaces are part of the extensive program that Knobelsdorff tackled on behalf of Frederick II right after he acceded to the throne, or a few years thereafter. Monbijou Palace started out as a single-storey pavilion with gardens on the Spree and was the summer residence, and after 1740 the widow's seat, of queen Sophie Dorothee of Prussia,

14070-499: The rebuilding followed Knobelsdorff's intentions, but there were also clear modifications of both the facing and the interior. Soon after they were completed, the opera house and St. Hedwig's Cathedral were featured in textbooks and manuals on architecture. Already in Neuruppin and Rheinsberg Knobelsdorff had designed gardens, together with the crown prince, which followed a French style. On November 30, 1741, Frederick II, now king, issued

14204-461: The results of joint deliberations with his architect. In the beginning the young crown prince regarded Knobelsdorff, who was 13 years older than he, as his mentor in questions of art and architecture, and followed his suggestions. Later he frequently insisted on his own views in particular cases, and enforced them with the authority of his superior position. But basically his artistic opinions were in agreement with those of Knobelsdorff. Even after

14338-483: The room with the help of mirrors. The gallery is 42 meters long; the walls are covered with chrysoprase green scagliola ; ornaments, benches and corbels are gilded. The walls and ceiling are covered with ornaments based in most cases on plant motifs. Watteau's notion of ornamental grotesques—a frame of fanciful plants and architectonic motifs surrounds a scene showing trees and people undertaking rural pleasures—clearly often served as inspiration. The French Church

14472-558: The royal gardener Georg Steiner redesigned the garden in the English landscape style for Frederick William II, the work being directed by Peter Joseph Lenné . After the Second World War, the centre of the garden was restored to its previous Baroque style. In 1788, Frederick William II arranged for the building of the Belvedere , designed by Carl Gotthard Langhans , in the grounds beyond

14606-585: The second half of the 17th century. Portraits were another important part of the collection, and there were also some scenes of battles, reflecting the taste of the times. Contemporary painters were hardly represented, and there were 37 specimens of Knobelsdorff's own work. Soon after his death the collection was dispersed and sold. Knobelsdorff's relationship to Frederick II was a central aspect of his life. Something akin to friendship arose in Neuruppin and Rheinsberg from their joint interest in art and architecture. This almost constant personal contact and focus on only

14740-545: The son of Silesian landed gentry, was born on February 17, 1699, on the estate of Kuckädel (now Polish Kukadlo) near Crossen (now the Polish city Krosno Odrzańskie ) on the Oder River. After the early death of his father he was raised by his godfather, the chief senior forester Georg von Knobelsdorff. In keeping with family tradition he began his professional career in the Prussian army. Already at 16 years of age he participated in

14874-657: The spectator area of the Berlin State Opera Unter den Lindon and the large rooms in Charlottenburg Palace. Decorative ornamentation was an important feature of European rococo. Three French masters of this art, Antoine Watteau , Jules Aurele Meissonier and Jaques de La Joue, had created patterns and models which found wide circulation in the form of etchings and engravings . Knobelsdorff was obviously especially influenced by Watteau's work, whose motifs he had taken over and adapted in Rheinsberg for mirror and picture frames. This influence turned out to be determinative for

15008-462: The square. Knobelsdorff was involved in the construction of St. Hedwig's Cathedral, but it is uncertain to what extent. Frederick II presented the Catholic community with complete building plans, which were probably primarily his ideas which were then realized by Knobelsdorff. The opera house, by contrast, was completely designed by Knobelsdorff and is considered to be one of his most important works. For

15142-506: The throne, Knobelsdorff was sent on another study tour. In Paris only the work of the architect Perrault impressed him—the frontage of the Louvre and the garden side of the castle in Versailles . As to paintings, he listed those of Watteau , Poussin , Chardin and others. On the return trip via Flanders he saw paintings by van Dyck and Rubens . Rheinsberg Palace and the modest household of

15276-557: The top was a cornice on which were statues. At the rear in the centre of the palace were two oval halls, the upper one being a ceremonial hall and the lower giving access to the gardens. Nering died during the construction of the palace and the work was completed by Martin Grünberg and Andreas Schlüter . The inauguration of the palace was celebrated on 11 July 1699, Frederick's 42nd birthday. Frederick crowned himself as Frederick I, King in Prussia in 1701 (Frederick II, known as Frederick

15410-557: The upper and lower Belvedere Palace in Vienna (1714–1722). In The Abbey of Melk , Jakob Prandtauer used an abundance of polychrome marble and stucco, statuary and ceiling paintings to achieve harmonious and highly theatrical effects. Another important figure of German Baroque was Balthasar Neumann (1687–1753), whose works included the Würzburg Residence for the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg , with its famous staircase. In Bohemia ,

15544-558: The use of quadratura (i.e. trompe-l'œil painting combined with sculpture): the eye is drawn upward, giving the illusion that one is looking into the heavens. Clusters of sculpted angels and painted figures crowd the ceiling. Light was also used for dramatic effect; it streamed down from cupolas , and was reflected from an abundance of gilding . Twisted columns were also often used, to give an illusion of upwards motion, and cartouches and other decorative elements occupied every available space. In Baroque palaces, grand stairways became

15678-480: The very beginning. At the beginning of 1746 Knobelsdorff purchased at a good price extensive grounds on the verge of the Tiergarten at an auction. His land was situated between the victory column and the Spree River , about where today Bellevue Palace is located. The property included a mulberry plantation, meadows and farmland, vegetable beds and two dairies. Knobelsdorff had a new main building erected, externally

15812-670: Was a painter and architect in Prussia . Knobelsdorff was born in Kuckädel , now in Krosno Odrzańskie County . A soldier in the service of Prussia, he resigned his commission in 1729 as captain so that he could pursue his interest in architecture. In 1740 he travelled to Paris and Italy to study at the expense of the new king, Frederick II of Prussia . Knobelsdorff was influenced as an architect by French Baroque Classicism and by Palladian architecture . With his interior design and

15946-467: Was being renovated. The garden was designed in 1697 in Baroque style by Simeon Godeau, who had been influenced by André Le Nôtre , designer of the gardens at Versailles. Godeau's design consisted of geometric patterns, with avenues and moats, which separated the garden from its natural surroundings. Beyond the formal gardens was the Carp Pond. Towards the end of the 18th century, a less formal, more natural-looking garden design became fashionable. In 1787,

16080-475: Was buried in the vault of the German Church on Gendarmenmarkt . Four years later his friend Antoine Pesne was buried next to him. When the church was rebuilt in 1881 these mortal remains were transferred to one of the cemeteries at Hallisches Tor; his grave was marked with a marble slab and a putto. This gravesite was destroyed by a bomb in World War II. Today a simple white marble memorial on an honorary grave of

16214-574: Was decorated with 16 statues. To the south Knobelsdorff arranged for three so-called labyrinths (these were actually mazes ) in the pattern of famous French parks—areas separated off with artistically designed intertwined hedgerows. Especially in the eastern part of the park near the Brandenburg Gate there was a dense network of pathways which constantly intersected and contained many "salons" and "cabinets"—small enclosed areas so to speak "furnished" with benches and fountains. Knobelsdorff's successor,

16348-492: Was demolished and, as the damage to Charlottenburg was at least as serious, it was feared that it would also be demolished. However, following the efforts of Margarete Kühn , the director of the State Palaces and Gardens, it was rebuilt to its former condition, with gigantic modern ceiling paintings by Hann Trier . From 2004 until early 2006, Charlottenburg Palace was the seat of the president of Germany, whilst Schloss Bellevue

16482-522: Was extended again in 1890–91 by Albert Geyer to accommodate the graves of William I, German Emperor and his wife Augusta of Saxe-Weimar . In 1825, Frederick William III added the New Pavilion , an Italianate villa designed by Schinkel, to the north of the palace. This was damaged in the war in 1943 and was reconstructed between 1957 and 1970. The palace and grounds are a major visitor attraction. Baroque architecture Baroque architecture

16616-402: Was how Frederick referred to it) was dedicated on May 1, 1747. Frederick the Great usually resided there from May to September; the winter months he spent in the Potsdam City Palace. Evidence for Knobelsdorff's artistic versatility is found in his designs for garden vases, mirror frames, furniture and coaches. This kind of activity culminated in the design of large representational rooms, such as

16750-558: Was modeled after the architecture of Lisbon , different from the Spanish style. The most notable architect in Brazil was Aleijadinho , who was native of Brazil, half-Portuguese, and self-taught. His most famous work is the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (Ouro Preto) . Baroque architecture often used visual and theatrical effects, designed to surprise and awe the viewer: Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff (Hans) Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff (17 February 1699 – 16 September 1753)

16884-433: Was more ordered and classical; examples included the Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles and the dome of Les Invalides . An especially ornate variant, appeared in the early 18th century; it was first called Rocaille in France; then Rococo in Spain and Central Europe. The sculpted and painted decoration covered every space on the walls and ceiling. Its most celebrated architect was Balthasar Neumann , noted for

17018-403: Was on the whole held in high esteem because of his sincere and upright character. He loved the truth and believed it could not harm anyone. Agreeableness he considered to be a constraint and he avoided everything that seemed to restrict his freedom. One had to know him well to fully appreciate his merit. He encouraged young talents, loved artists, and preferred being sought out to putting himself in

17152-491: Was originally used to overwinter rare plants. During the summer months, when over 500 orange, citrus and sour orange trees decorated the baroque garden, the Orangery regularly was the gorgeous scene of courtly festivities. Various artists were invited to decorate the interior of the palace. As the court painter of Frederick I, the Flemish artist Jan Anthonie Coxie was commissioned to paint the walls and ceilings in various rooms of

17286-657: Was painted from nature with a wonderful blending of colors, without being hard or too colorful" (translation). Fredrick the Great wrote a commemorative address on Knobelsdorff in French and had it read on January 24, 1754, before the Academy of Sciences, to which Knobelsdorff had belonged since 1742 as an honorary member. He referred in it to the tensions which had arisen between the two of them in Knobelsdorff's last years, but made it very clear that he continued to admire him: "Knobelsdorff

17420-514: Was relatively restrained, but the interiors, and especially the immense fresco on the ceiling of the salon, the Allegory of Divine Providence and Barberini Power painted by Pietro da Cortona , are considered masterpieces of Baroque art and decoration. Curving façades and the illusion of movement were a speciality of Francesco Borromini, most notably in San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (1634–1646), one of

17554-577: Was soon added for the Collège des Quatre-Nations (now the Institut de France ). In 1661, following the death of Cardinal Mazarin , the young Louis XIV took direct charge of the government. The arts were put under the direction of his Controller-General of Finances , Jean-Baptiste Colbert . Charles Le Brun , director of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture , was named Superintendent of Buildings of

17688-832: Was the Corpus Christi Church, Nesvizh in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , built by the Jesuits on the Roman model between 1586 and 1593 in Nieśwież (after 1945 Niasvizh in Belarus). The church also holds a distinction of being the first domed basilica with a Baroque façade in the Commonwealth and Eastern Europe. Another early example in Poland is the Church of Saints Peter and Paul Church, Kraków , built between 1597 and 1619 by

17822-747: Was used in churches and palaces in Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Bavaria and Austria. In the Late Baroque period (1675–1750), it reached as far as Russia, the Ottoman Empire and the Spanish and Portuguese colonies in Latin America. In about 1730, an even more elaborately decorative variant called Rococo appeared and flourished in Central Europe. Baroque architects took the basic elements of Renaissance architecture , including domes and colonnades , and made them higher, grander, more decorated, and more dramatic. The interior effects were often achieved with

17956-401: Was where Knobelsdorff received his first major architectural challenge. At that time the palace consisted only of a tower and a building wing. In a painting from 1737 Knobelsdorff depicted the situation before the alterations, as viewed from the far shore of Lake Grienericksee. After preliminary work by the architect and builder Kemmeter and in regular consultation with Frederick, Kobelsdorff gave

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