Palace of Queluz

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The Palace of Queluz (Portuguese: Palácio de Queluz, Portuguese pronunciation: [kɛˈluʃ]) is an 18th-century palace located at Queluz, a city of the Sintra Municipality, in the Lisbon District, on the Portuguese Riviera. One of the last great Rococo buildings to be designed in Europe, the palace was conceived as a summer retreat for King Joseph I's brother, Peter of Braganza, later to become husband and king jure uxoris (as King Peter III) to his own niece, Queen Maria I. It eventually served as a discreet place of incarceration for Maria I, when she became afflicted by severe mental illness in the years following Peter III's death in 1786. Following the destruction of the Palace of Ajuda by fire in 1794, Queluz Palace became the official residence of the Portuguese Prince Regent John, and his family, and remained so until the royal family fled to the Portuguese colony of Brazil following the French invasion of Portugal (1807). Work on the palace began in 1747 under Portuguese architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira. Despite being far smaller, the palace is often referred to as the "Portuguese Versailles." From 1826, the palace slowly fell from favour with the Portuguese sovereigns. In...

Queluz's architecture is representative of an extravagant period of Portuguese culture, which followed the discovery of Brazilian gold in 1690. From the beginning of the 18th century, many foreign artists and architects were employed in Portugal to satisfy the demands of the newly enriched aristocracy; they brought with them classical ideas of architecture which derived from the Renaissance. In its design, Queluz is a revolt against the earlier, heavier, Italian-influenced Baroque, which preceded the Rococo style throughout Europe.

Comparisons with the far larger, and more Baroque, Versailles are unwarranted; Versailles is referred to as having "an aura of majesty" and was built and dedicated to exhibit in stone "all the glories of France," whereas the smaller palace at Queluz has been described as "exquisite rather than magnificent" and looking like "a very expensive birthday cake". In its frivolity, the architecture of Queluz reflects the lifestyle led by the Portuguese royal family at the time of its construction; during the reign of Peter of Braganza's brother, Joseph I. At this time, Portugal was, in practice, governed by a valido —or favourite, Sebastião de Melo, Marquis of Pombal. Pombal encouraged the royal family to while away their days in the country and leave affairs of state to him. Thus, the extravagant, almost whimsical, architecture of Queluz is so set apart from that of nearby Portuguese capital, Lisbon; representing the politics and social events during this era, as well as the carefree and flamboyant lives led by its occupants. Queluz's role as a haven for those without responsibility was, however, to be short-lived.

On the accession to the throne of Queen Maria I in 1777, Pombal was dismissed by the new Queen. She and Peter III ruled jointly in his place; using the partially completed Queluz as a retreat from affairs of state in much the same way that Frederick the Great used his own Rococo palace, Sanssouci.

The site chosen for the proposed summer retreat was in a secluded hollow. It had originally been owned by Manuel de Moura y Corte Real, 2nd Marquis of Castel Rodrigo. When the ruling Spanish were driven from Portugal in 1640, the Marquis was accused of having collaborated with the Spanish and the property was seized by the Portuguese Crown. The estate, and its hunting lodge, then became one of the many properties of the Portuguese king, John IV. He set it aside as one of the properties reserved for the second son of the reigning monarch. Thus it came into the hands of Peter of Braganza, the second son of John V.

The architect Mateus Vicente de Oliveira had trained under João Frederico Ludovice and Jean-Baptiste Robillon [ fr ] during the construction of the royal Palace of Mafra and its monastery. The larger, sombre, and classical Mafra does not appear to have influenced the design for Queluz, which is in a lighter, more airy style.

Work began in 1747, and continued rapidly until 1755, when it was interrupted by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, after which the labourers were more urgently required for the reconstruction of Lisbon. However, the earthquake proved to be a catalyst, as the urban rebuilding process stimulated the development of the arts in Portugal. The subsequent architecture of Queluz was influenced by new ideas and concepts. When work recommenced in 1758, the design was altered for fear of another earthquake. Thus, later work on the palace took the form of low, long buildings that are more structurally stable than a single high block. As a result, when viewed from a distance, the palace resembles a series of long enfilades linked by higher pavilions, rather than one single construction.

The public façade of the palace faces directly onto a town square and takes the form of two low, symmetrical, quadrant wings which flank the forward-reaching wings of a small central corps de logis, thus forming a semi-circular cour d'honneur ( see key 1 ). The southern quadrant wing is terminated by the onion domed chapel, while the northern one contains the kitchens and servants' quarters ( see keys 2, 1 and 13 ). The only decoration on this façade comes from the simple classical pediments above the windows. The façade, which is most readily seen from the town, presents a decorous and impassive public face with one of the most architecturally severe elevations of the palace.

Oliveira was directly responsible for the "Ceremonial Façade" of the "corps de logis", the rectangular block which forms the nucleus of the palace, and some of the interior courtyards. His former tutor, the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Robillon, was in charge of the gardens, many buildings, and the Rococo interiors. He in turn was assisted by Jean-Baptiste Pillement and other French and Portuguese artists. The "Ceremonial Façade" is the best-known view of the palace. With classical proportions, it is externally decorated by travertine rendering and delicately carved cartouches over the windows. It has been described as a "harmonious example of Portuguese Baroque". This façade with its single-storey flanking wings forms a three-sided courtyard containing the "Hanging Garden"—so called because like the Hanging Gardens of Babylon it is on a raised terrace ( see key 5 ). [ citation needed ]

The second major part of the palace is the great western wing, known as the Robillon wing or Robillon Pavilion, which illustrates better than any other the excesses of Baroque and Rococo architecture ( see key 9 ). Completed in 1779, it has a doric colonnade which runs the entire length of its western and southern façades, the roof of which provides a balustraded balcony accessible from the floor above ( see key 10 ). Owing to the topography of the site, the eastern side appears as a single-storey building, with only the upper floor visible above the ground in the "Hanging Garden". The balustrade on the roof of the Robillon wing is broken by heavy segmental pediments adorned with reclining statuary figures; the balustrade itself is also adorned with flambeaux, statuary and heavy armorial trophies ( see illustration below ). [ citation needed ]

The Robillon wing contains an entrance to the palace reached by flights of ingeniously designed graduated steps. Their design creates an illusion of a longer and higher perspective, centred on a corner of a terrace because of exigencies of the site, and divided mid-flight so as not to lead the eye and footstep towards an angle of the colonnade beyond. The steps are adorned with elaborate statuary ( see key 11 ). The bays of the façade are stuccoed rose-pink, contrasting with the motifs and pilasters in natural stone ( see illustration ). [ citation needed ]

In 1760, Pombal arranged for King Joseph I's brother, Peter of Braganza, to marry Joseph I's daughter, Maria; heiress to the throne. Pombal then encouraged the couple to live with their children in the unfinished palace at Queluz, away from the seat of government. It had been a favourite retreat of the couple and was their principal home before Maria I's accession. Further additions were made to reflect the palace's elevation from country retreat to royal palace. However, the Queen dismissed Pombal on her accession. She felt that, as a ruling monarch, she did not have time to while away her hours in the country. Peter III interfered little in affairs of state, preferring to spend his time on religious matters and hunting.

By the time of Peter III's death in 1786, all of the interior work had been completed. However, after her husband's death, the Queen's mental health began to dramatically deteriorate. By 1794, she and her court took up official, full-time residence at Queluz so that the Queen could be hidden from the view of her subjects. Her eldest son, future King John VI, was then appointed Regent and ruled in her stead from Lisbon at the Palace of Mafra.

In 2004, the World Monuments Fund began a program to restore the lead sculptures by British sculptor John Cheere, as well as some of the other features of the garden. The project is ongoing.

The interior of the palace received no less attention to detail and design than the exterior. French artisans were employed to decorate the rooms, many of which are small; their walls and ceilings painted to depict allegorical and historical scenes. Polished red bricks were frequently used as flooring, to give a rustic appearance, as well as to help keep rooms cooler in hot weather. The many tall pavilions, which link the various lower wings of the palace, allow for a series of long, low rooms, broken by higher and lighter rooms. One predominant feature of the interiors are the polychrome azulejo glazed tiles, often in a chinoiserie style, with blues and yellows contrasting with muted reds. Other materials used throughout the interior include stone imported from Genoa ; woods from Brazil, Denmark and Sweden; and coloured marbles imported from Italy. Many of the palace's rooms were severely damaged by fire in 1934, and much was lost.

The Sala das Mangas (the only room in the state apartments to survive the 1934 fire intact) is a long gallery lined with tiled wall panels. The gallery leads to the enfilade of state rooms, all of which have been fully restored. The formal rooms of the palace consist of three large halls: The Sala dos Embaixadores, The Music Room, and the Ball Room. Other smaller rooms include the Gun Room (where hunting parties would assemble), which is a frescoed salon, painted with trees and foliage by Pillement.

The Music Room, which follows the Sala dos Embaixadores, is decorated with gilded and painted wood and was redesigned in 1768. The ceiling inset with painted cartouches is notable for the intricate, ribbed scheme of its design, similar to that of the vestibule at Caserta. The Music Room is decorated in a more neoclassical style than the other state rooms, reflecting its redesign in the period following the Baroque-Rococo in the final half of the 18th century. This room was the setting for the large concerts for which the palace was famous. The room still contains the Empire style grand piano, decorated with gilt appliqués. Above the piano, hangs a portrait of Maria I. As in many other rooms of the palace, the Music Room is lit by large crystal chandeliers.

The Ball Room, the last of the palace's three largest rooms, was designed by Robillon in 1760. To create this oval room, the architect combined five smaller rooms. The ormolu Rococo ornamentation takes the form of heavy gilding on the walls and ceiling, of such richness, that it has been compared to that of François de Cuvilliés ' Amalienburg at Schloss Nymphenburg. The walls and doors are mirrored, and the painted and gilded coffered ceiling is supported by golden caryatids.

The Sala dos Embaixadores (Hall of Ambassadors), sometimes called the throne room or the Hall of Mirrors, was designed by Robillon in 1757 and is one of the largest reception rooms in the palace. This long, low room has a ceiling painted by Francisco de Melo, which depicts the Portuguese royal family attending a concert during the reign of Queen Maria I. The room is extremely wide and light, spanning the full width of the palace, with tall windows on both sides. Between each window is a semi-circular gilt console table, above which are pier glasses adorned with crystal sconces. The throne dais, set in an apse, is flanked by gilded and mirrored columns, and the floor is a chequer board pattern of black and white marble tiles.

During the occupancy of the palace by Queen Maria I and King Peter III, the chapel was central to the daily routine of their court. It was no coincidence that the chapel was the first part of the palace to be completed and was consecrated as early as 1752. Religion was one of Peter III's favourite interests. During the reign of his wife, he attended to matters spiritual and she to matters temporal. The Queen's interest in religion was, however, no less fevered than that of her husband and the couple attended mass several times a day.