France and Italy: The Evolution of Classicism under Francis I
The lecture aims to elucidate the adoption of Italian typologies and patterns in the field of architecture during the reign of Francis I (1515–1547). It is focused on the role of Italians at the French court (Leonardo da Vinci, Rosso Fiorentino, Sebastiano Serlio, Francesco Primaticcio) and analyses how Italian paradigms and French tradition come together in new synthesis. The reconstruction of the western wing of the Louvre by Pierre Lescot, the most significant example of French classicism, will be at the core of our subject.