Thesis
French
ID: <
10670/1.deofjb>
Abstract
As early as the 16th century, honest stairs appeared to be pieces of bravoure for both prime contractors and developers. They were also important spaces in the European ceremonial, as they made it possible to express, when welcoming representatives of foreign delegations, differences in rank depending on whether they were received, before the hearing, at the bottom, middle or top of the staircase. Thus, the staircase was generally given special attention not only in its architecture, but also in its decoration, which had to be awkward, while respecting the design and convenience of the staircase. The first half of the eighteenth century was a prime moment in the production of honour staircases in Europe, in particular because of the political rebalances brought about by the wars of succession in Spain (1701-1713), Poland (1733-1738) and Austria (1740-1748). Based on an original corpus of around 20 stairs built for sovereign Princes during this period in England, Spain, Italy, France and above all in the German Roman Empire, this thesis aims to better understand, from sources in unprecedented parts, the constraints and challenges that have influenced their production. For the first time, the staircase is approached both in terms of architecture and decoration in a European perspective that gives new insight into the somptuary competition between classes in modern times. The question of how to express the general magnificence and circulation of models is at the heart of this study, which highlights the specificities of stairs built for sovereigns compared to stairs for individuals.