The Bagatelle Pavilion, viewed from the garden side: a new acquisition by the Mansart Foundation

The Mansart Foundation has recently acquired a watercolour by the French painter Jean-Baptiste Maréchal (1779–1824), entitled Le pavillon de Bagatelle, vue prise du côté du jardin (The Bagatelle Pavilion, view from the garden side), depicting the château and its garden in their original layout from 1777.

Built at the request of the Count of Artois, the Château de Bagatelle and its garden follow the tradition of the French-style pavilion, whilst distinguishing themselves through their Anglo-Palladian inspiration. The architecture was entrusted to Joseph Bélanger, whilst the gardens were designed by the Scotsman Thomas Blaikie. Together, they formed a model that was admired and replicated throughout Europe in the decades that followed.

This watercolour is notable for the rare visual record it provides of the garden in its original state. In the background, one can see an arched passageway, which has since disappeared following the redevelopment of the gardens.

This painting, now part of the Mansart Foundation’s collections, will join the permanent collections of the Château de Bagatelle when it reopens to the public.