Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved (4 June 1701 – 7 June 1754), also known as Niels Eigtved, was a
Youth and early training
He was born Niels Madsen on the farm in the village of Egtved in the parish of Haraldsted on the island of
Years in Poland
From 1725 he lived in
Eigtved came into a rich architectural environment, which was influenced by the presence of French immigrants including Jean de Bodt and Zacharias Longuelune. Some of Pöppelmann's assignments in those years, on which Eigtved would have probably participated, were Augustus Bridge (Augustusbruecke) in Dresden (1728), the extension of the Japanese Palace (Japanisches Palais) in Dresden (1727), drafts for the three-king church in Dresden new city (1723–1739), and a new large lock for the Saxon dynasty (c. 1730). [4] [5]
In 1730 Eigtved was promoted to lieutenant in Engineer Corps, and participated in the building of the ruler's military camp near Zeithain. He made excellent military drawings, and became acquainted with Danish statesman General Poul Vendelbo Løvenørn, who after his return to Denmark interested King Christian VI in Eigtved. The King summoned Eigtved to Denmark, and with the title of captain he was dismissed from foreign service.[6] [7]
In service to Denmark
He was made Danish lieutenant in 1732, and Christian VI let Eigtved further educate himself in Italy between 1732 and 1735 in civil architecture. On his travel back to Denmark, he stayed and made drawings in Vienna and Munich, where he became familiar with the rococo style seen in the design of French architect François de Cuvilliés for the newly built Amalienburg Palace near Nymphenburg Eigtved returned to Denmark in 1735 after twelve years' absence. Building construction was at a fever pitch, with construction of Christiansborg Palace having been begun three years earlier. He was named captain in the Engineer Corps, and named royal building master with supervisory responsibility for Jutland and Funen in 1735.[8]
Royal building master
Thus began a lifelong rivalry with colleague Lauritz de Thurah, another royal building master and the leading proponent of baroque architecture at the time. Eigtved became the king's preferred architect, and Eigtved's rococo style was the preferred building style. As a result, de Thurah was often overlooked, while Eigtved got the best assignments.[9]
He participated along with German architect
Hausser, who had been the original architect for the project, lost his influence as the younger de Thurah and Eigtved took on larger assignments in the castle project. In 1738 the king set up a royal buildings commission that would lead the continued work on the castle. The commission would be led by State Minister Count Johan Sigismund Schulin (1694–1750). At the same time Eigtved and de Thurah switched areas of responsibilities, where de Thurah gave up Copenhagen and the island of Zealand, in exchange for Eigtved's Jutland Peninsula.[10]
In 1742 Eigtved was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Engineer Corps, became a member of the Building Commission, and took over the role of leading architect for Christiansborg Palace from Hausser. Eigtved designed and built, along with Boye Junge, The
Between 1744 and 1745, Eigtved built a small pavilion for Privy Councillor J.S. Schulin on the
Foundation for the Royal Danish Academy of Art
Around this same time he came in contact with the Drawing and Painting Academy (Tegne – og Malerakademiet), predecessor to the
The Marble Bridge at Christiansborg was completed in 1744. He was named Church Inspector for Copenhagen, Kronborg, Antborskov, Vordingborg and Tryggevælde district in 1745.
In 1746 Frederik V ascended to the throne, and along with him came the powerful statesman and leader Court Marshal (Hofmarshal) Adam Gottlob Moltke, who became Eigtved's proponent in the court.[14]
On 28 December 1747 he made a proposal to create a stronger foundation for the Academy, which was approved by the King on 12 February 1748. In this way Eigtved took control of the Academy as its first strong administrator, and the first Dane in a leading position. In late summer 1748 the Academy moved to the floor above the Crown Prince's stables at Christiansborg Palace, where Eigtved also had his official offices.
Copenhagen district: Frederiksstad
In 1748 it was 300 years since the Oldenburg family took the throne in Denmark, and in 1749 the 300-year jubilee of the coronation of Christian I of Denmark was commemorated with the establishment of a new district in Copenhagen called Frederiksstad. Heading the project was Moltke, and Eigtved was architect. The new Frederiksstaden district was built on the former grounds of Amalien Garden (Amalienhave), and became a fine example of European rococo architecture.
At the center of the district lay the four palaces at
Eigtved also designed and built in the Frederikstaden district Frederiks Hospital, now the Danish Museum of Applied Arts ( Kunstindustrimuseet). Eigtved also led building work on one of the masterpieces of Frederiksstad — the centrally located Frederik's Church (Frederikskirke), now commonly referred to as now known as The Marble Church (Marmorkirken).[16]
Moltke, who was also director for the Danish Asiatic Company, had Eigtved design a warehouse for the company on Christianshavn. The building called Eigtved's Pakhus was built 1748–1750. During this same period of time Eigtved also worked on the expansion of Moltke's estate Bregentved, which had been given to him by the King after his ascension to the throne. He was promoted to colonel in the Engineer Corps in 1749.
Change of direction and Eigtved's fall
Eigtved became the Art Academy's first director in 1751. However Eigtved's rococo style, which had been popular for so long, was about to suffer with the
At his death two of the four Amalienborg Palaces were complete, the two western palaces. The work that he had begun was continued by de Thurah strictly according to Eigtved's plans. The palaces were finally completed in 1760. de Thurah tried unsuccessfully to get project leadership of the work on Frederick's Church, but was denied that role, which went instead to Nicolas-Henri Jardin on 1 April 1756.[19]
He stands along with Laurids de Thurah as the leading architect of his time. His death probably saved him from the same type of long, agonizing downfall, as de Thurah had suffered, when his rococo style gave way to the King's newly preferred neoclassicism and his newly preferred architect, Nicolas-Henri Jarden. Eigtved also built Sophienberg in Rungsted, the old Royal Danish Teatre, and in 1753 helped extend Fredensborg Palace by adding four symmetrically positioned corner pavilions with separate copper pyramid-shaped roofs to the main building.
Personal life
On 24 May 1743, he married Sophie Christine Walther (1726–1795), chambermaid to Princess Louise, at Frederickborg Castle Chapel. They had seven children, but only three lived to adulthood. His daughter Anne Margrethe Eigtved was married to architect Georg David Anthon (1714–1781).[20]
Eigtved died on 7 June 1754 in Copenhagen. He and members of his family were buried at St. Peter's Church, Copenhagen.[21]
References
- ^ a b Christian Elling; Hakon Lund. "Nicolai Eigtved". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, Gyldendal. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Rococo (1700-1760)". huntfor.com. Archived from the original on 2009-10-07. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann". Dresden Informationen. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Jean de Bodt". Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Zacharias Longuelune". Stadtwiki Dresden. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Hakon Lund. "Niels Eigtved". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbach Kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Claus Bech; C. O. Bøggild-Andersen. "Poul Vendelbo Løvenørn". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, Gyldendal. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "François de Cuvilliés". The J. Paul Getty Trust. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Lauritz de Thurah". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbach Kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Johan Sigismund Schulin, 1694-1750". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Jørgen Sestoft and Jørgen Hegner Christiansen. Guide to Danish Architecture: 1000 to 1960. Copenhagen: Arkitektens Forlag, 1991. 115
- ^ "Margård". visitnordfyn.com. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ Emma Salling. "Hieronimo Miani". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbach Kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Adam Gottlob Moltke, 1710-92". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "The History of Amalienborg". HM The Queens Reference Library. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "The Marble Church - Frederiks Church". Discover Denmark & Copenhagen. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "Carl Gustaf Pilo". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
- ^ "Jacques-François-Joseph Saly (1717 - 1776)". The Royal Academy Collection Gallery. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ Ulla Kjær. "Nicolas-Henri Jardin". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbach Kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ "G.D. Anthon". Kunstindeks Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ Hans Munk-Hansen. "Nicolai Eigtved (1701-1754)". sanktpetriskole.dk. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
Other sources
- Knud Voss; Nicolai Eigtved (1971) Arkitekten Nicolai Eigtved, 1701-1754 (Copenhagen: Nyt Nordisk Forlag) ISBN 978-8717014657