The oval salon at the Vaux-le-Vicomte estate, designed to project a vaulted, two-storied space that governs the building's central form, remains a testament to the spatial innovation of Louis Le Vau. As a primary architect under King Louis XIV, he helped define the trajectory of French architectural classicism throughout the mid-seventeenth century.
Early Career and Family
Born in 1613 in Paris, Louis Le Vau originated from a family of stonemasons. His father, also named Louis Le Veau, operated within the city throughout the 1630s and 1640s, frequently collaborating with his sons, including François Le Vau. To distinguish their professional identity from the term for calf, the brothers eventually altered their surname spelling. Le Vau’s initial architectural commissions included the 1634 Hôtel de Bautru and numerous town houses on the île Saint-Louis, where he served wealthy clients such as Jean Baptiste Lambert.
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In 1654, Le Vau succeeded Jacques Lemercier as the first architect to the king. His portfolio expanded to include state-sponsored projects like the partial rebuilding of the Château de Vincennes for Cardinal Mazarin. His most significant private commission came in 1656 with the construction of the château at Vaux-le-Vicomte, executed alongside André Le Nôtre and Charles Le Brun. This structure showcased his ability to integrate elaborate interior planning with broader structural context.
Versailles and Final Works
Le Vau’s involvement at the Palace of Versailles spanned the final decade of his life. He oversaw the addition of service wings and, after 1668, the reconstruction of the garden façade to align with classical aesthetics. His career also featured extensive contributions to the Louvre, including the renovation of the Galerie d'Apollon following a fire. At the time of his death in 1670, his plans for the Collège des Quatre-Nations, now the Institut de France, remained in development, later completed by his assistant François d'Orbay.
Fast facts
- Born: 1613, Paris
- Died: 1670, Paris
- Primary Field: Architecture
- Key Movement: French Baroque architecture
- Notable Work: Palace of Versailles
- Notable Work: Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Notable Work: Palais de l'Institut de France
- Notable Work: Château de Meudon
Questions readers ask
Which major projects did Le Vau work on during the 1660s?
He worked on the hospital of La Salpêtrière, the facade of the Tuileries Palace, the Galerie d'Apollon at the Louvre, and the Palace of Versailles.
Who completed Le Vau's work after he died?
His assistant, François d'Orbay, completed the designs for the Collège des Quatre-Nations and the work at Versailles.
Achievements
- Notable work: Château de Meudon
- Notable work: Palace of Versailles
- Notable work: Château du Raincy
- Notable work: Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Worked as architect and artist
