Proposal for the Eastern Façade of the Louvre

According to Le Vau's plans, the foundations for the immense eastern façade of the Louvre, centred on an oval pavilion, were begun in 1662. But works came to a halt when Colbert was named Superintendent of Royal Buildings in 1663.

Colbert commissioned new plans from French architects and their Italian counterparts. This produced an amazing quantity of proposals. Mansart produced several proposals, all focusing on a grand oval entrance crowned by a dome. There were proposals also from Charles Le Brun and Léonor Houdin. Of the Italians who sent plans, Pietro da Cortona proposed a kind of temple, Rainaldi a large avant-corps with bulbous dome.

In the spring of 1665 Louis XIV invited Bernini to come to Paris and suggest on the spot how to complete the great Louvre 'carré' of which the west and south wings and half of the north wing were standing. Although Bernini worked on the whole area of the 'carré', the focus of his design was the east façade. However, his proposals were not accepted.

The picture shows Le Brun's proposal. View also Bernini's project, and Cortona's proposal.