BÉLANGER, François-Joseph
(b. 1744, Paris, d. 1818, Paris)

Bagatelle Pavilion

1777
Watercolour
Musée Carnavalet, Paris

In French architecture, one of the better-known features of the eighteenth century is the experimentation done in smaller dwellings, generally one-story buildings with little ornamentation. They varied according to province, and the local name often reflected the spirit in which they were built. In the Paris area they were called "pleasure pavilions," the most famous example being the Bagatelle erected by Bélanger in 1777.