LE VAU, LOUIS. — French architect, b. in Paris in 1612, d. there Oct. 11, 1670.
He also spent time in Italy, particularly in Genoa and Rome. Among his early works in Paris are the Hôtels Lambert (1640–50) and Lauzun (1650 and following); a few years later (1655) he also provided plans for the expansion of Gittard’s designs for the church of St-Sulpice. Appointed in 1655 architect of the Louvre and the Tuileries, he gained fame especially through the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, built and decorated for Fouquet in collaboration with Le Brun and Le Nôtre. In 1662 he designed the Collège Mazarin (now the Institut de France) and the church of St-Louis-en-l’Île; in ’66 he worked on the Louvre, while devoting the final years of his life to Versailles.
Regarding the Louvre, Le Vau had already built in 1663 the first southern façade, facing the Seine (later demolished), and had provided the design for the façade toward St-Germain-l’Auxerrois. It was for this façade that recourse was instead made to Bernini, who, upon arriving in France, laid the foundation stone of his design in Oct. 1665. However, after Bernini’s departure for Italy, his design was no longer to be completed owing to the intrigues of French architects, who in ’67 were commissioned to produce a new design, executed especially by Le Vau and later by Perrault.
Le Vau never revealed a strong artistic personality; indeed, he most often coldly applied suggestions drawn from Italy to create sumptuous residences for his wealthy patrons.