University of Notre Dame
Universtiy of Notre Dame

Marble: Museums, Archives, Rare Books and Libraries Exploration

Home Browse Featured My Portfolios About
  1. Home ›
  2. Architectural Lantern Slides›
  3. Architectural Lantern Slides of France›
  4. Church of the Val-de-Grâce: Overall view of facade and dome ›

Church of the Val-de-Grâce: Overall view of facade and dome

Date

Circa 1910

Creator

G. Massiot & cie
Part of: Architectural Lantern Slides of France
Architecture Library, Hesburgh Libraries

In 1645 Mansart was appointed by the queen, Anne of Austria, to add a church and palace to the convent of the Val-de-Grâce, which she frequently visited on retreat. For this project Mansart devised a highly imaginative scheme based on the Escorial in Spain, where Anne had spent her youth. His design for the church was original in many respects, with bell-towers flanking the nave and a projecting single-storey entrance portico, more reminiscent of his château frontispieces than of a conventional church front. The portico was possibly influenced by that on the north side of Jacques Le Mercier's church of the Sorbonne (1635-1648). The plan of the church of the Val-de-Grâce is characterized by a dominant central domed space at the crossing, surrounded by three equal apses for the choir and transepts, a layout reminiscent of that adopted by Andrea Palladio for Il Redentore (1576-1580), Venice, where there is a similar play on circular forms. The whole of the domed space is located in a square block that projects slightly beyond the walls of the nave. After work on the scheme had proceeded for a year, Mansart was dismissed. Nevertheless, although the palace was never built, the church itself was begun under his direction, and he was responsible for the walls of the nave, with their giant Corinthian pilasters, up to the entablature, and for the lower storey of the façade.

Images

This is called Church of the Val-de-Grâce: Overall view of facade and dome within the category of photographs.Open in external viewer application

Metadata

Creator
G. Massiot & cie
Date
Circa 1910
Publisher
Architecture Library, Hesburgh Libraries
Material Type
photographs
Conditions Governing Access
To view the physical lantern slide, please contact the Architecture Library to arrange an appointment
Related Location
Paris, Île-de-France, France: 5th arrondissement: Rue Saint-Jacques

Metadata

Campus Location
Architecture Library, Hesburgh Libraries
Link to Finding Aid
https://curate.nd.edu/show/t148ff3961r
This digital collection may not include all items or all of the information available about the source collection. See the finding aid for more information.

Metadata

Contact Us

Our collection information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. If you have spotted an error, please contact Architecture Library, Hesburgh Libraries at asklib@nd.edu.


Also from Architectural Lantern Slides of France

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Cathedral: Detail, main portal at base of bell tower

Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges Cathedral: Detail, main portal at base of bell tower

Renaissance era house, Châteaudun: Detail of the facade, oriel window to the left

Renaissance era house, Châteaudun: Detail of the facade, oriel window to the left

Saint-Jacques Chapel [reconstructed fragments]: Facade of the chapel, reconstructed in the Jardin de l'Hôtel Groslot

Saint-Jacques Chapel [reconstructed fragments]: Facade of the chapel, reconstructed in the Jardin de l'Hôtel Groslot

Château de Chantilly: Gardens: Overall view of Le Nôtre's Grand Parterre and canal

Château de Chantilly: Gardens: Overall view of Le Nôtre's Grand Parterre and canal

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey: Interior of the Gothic refectory

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey: Interior of the Gothic refectory

Château de Saint-Cloud: Overall view, Grande Cascade

Château de Saint-Cloud: Overall view, Grande Cascade

Related Items

No results found for .
Raclin Murphy Art Museum
100 Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631–5466
RMMACollections@nd.edu
Hesburgh Library
284 Hesburgh Library
Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA
Phone (574) 631-6258
asklib@nd.edu
© 2025 University of Notre Dame
Marble: Museums, Archives, Rare Books and Libraries Exploration
AboutPortfoliosHelpAccessibilitySite Map