402 



RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE. 



that of Roch (Fig. 386), which, however, has since been altered for the 

 worse, notably in the statuary on the outer angles, which, as originally 

 designed, gave an excellent example of rococo methods, not only by 

 the balance between dissimilar forms, but by the care with which their 

 graceful and lively movement was made to carry on and complete the 

 rhythm of the pediment and volutes. It is curious to note that there 

 is much more rococo feeling in this composition than in Oppenordt's 

 two transept fronts at St Sulpice (1719-36), where this master of the 

 violent and contorted suppressed his usual proclivities and produced 

 rather frigid results. 



MEISSONNIER'S FACADE FOR ST SULPICE. Very different from these is 

 a design prepared by Meissonnier for the west front of this church (1726), 

 in which the same formula, with the addition of one-storeyed pavilions on 

 either side in a line with the chapels, is expressed in terms of rococo art 

 (Fig. 387). He contrived to invest this extraordinarily clever scheme with 

 the sparkling vivacity, the rhythmic swing, the plasticity characteristic of 

 his work as a whole, without resorting to any extreme methods. An exami- 

 nation of it reveals that its elements are preponderatingly pure and even 

 severe : its straight lines, both horizontal and vertical, are strongly marked, 

 the entablatures run through uninterrupted, the openings and panels are 

 rectangular, the orders follow classical models, the pediments are si mple and 



unbroken, "rocaille" 

 ornament hardly 

 makes its appearance 

 at all. But typical 

 rococo effects are pro- 

 duced by elaboration 

 of the plan and of the 

 sky-line, where com- 

 bined and contrasted 

 curves together with 

 frequent breaks are 

 introduced. The 

 nave front is concave 

 and terminates in a 

 sort of curvilinear 

 gable, containing a 

 glory, and rich with 

 volutes and flaming 

 vases, giving the 

 effect of a great 

 niche, into which the 

 386. PARIS : FACADE OF ST ROCH, BY R. DE COTTE convex porch nestles. 

 (1739). ELEVATION. FROM BI.ONDEI.. In the pavilions the 



