Libéral Bruant (; c. 1635 – 22 November 1697) was a French

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

best known as the designer of the

Hôtel des Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides (; ), commonly called (; ), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, as well as a hospital and an old soldi ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. Bruant was the most notable member in a family that produced a long series of architects active from the 16th to the 18th century.

Biography

In 1660, Bruant was the architect chosen for rehabilitations to Louis XIII's old arsenal (the ''Salpêtrière''), which was being converted into what would become the world's largest

hospice Hospice care is a type of health care that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's pain and symptoms and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs at the end of life. Hospice care prioritizes comfort and quality of life b ...

. It is now the

Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital (, ) is a charitable hospital in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It is part of the AP-HP Sorbonne University Hospital Group and a teaching hospital of Sorbonne University. History The Salpêtrière ...

. He designed the

in Paris, which is now dominated by the dome erected by

Jules Hardouin Mansart Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Gra ...

, his collaborator in earlier stages of the construction. In the

Marais Marais (, meaning "marsh") may refer to: People * Marais (given name) * Marais (surname) Other uses * Le Marais, historic district of Paris * Théâtre du Marais, the name of several theatres and theatrical troupes in Paris, France * Marais (com ...

district of Paris, the ''hôtel particulier'' Bruant built for himself in 1685, at 1 rue de la Perle now houses the Bricard Lock Museum ( Musée de la Serrure). Its Baroque façade of golden limestone is enlivened by windows set into blind arches that march across its front and busts in oval reserves, all under a richly-sculptured pediment that is pierced by an oval window. In 1671, he became one of the first eight members of the

Académie royale d'architecture The Académie Royale d'Architecture (; ) was a French learned society founded in 1671. It had a leading role in influencing architectural theory and education, not only in France, but throughout Europe and the Americas from the late 17th centur ...

, created by

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

. Bruant died on 22 November 1697, in Paris.

Architectural style

A comparison of Bruant's central entrance to the Invalides, under an arched cornice packed with military trophies with Mansart's ''Église du Dome'', gives a clear idea of the difference between Bruant's High Baroque and Hardouin-Mansart's restrained and somewhat academic Late Baroque.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bruant, Liberal 17th-century French architects 1630s births 1697 deaths Architects from Paris French Baroque architects Members of the Académie royale d'architecture Architects from Versailles

Biography

Architectural style

See also

References

External links