Plans For the Place du Roi de Rome -- From The Library of Famed French Bibliophile Lucien Désiré Prosper Graux
Fine large scale image of the original plans for the Place du Roi de Rome, which would become the Place du Trocadéro. This certified copy is from the collection of an important French bibliophile (see provenance below).
Illustrating both the plans for the new construction and existing streets and buildings, this is an official copy of a plan, which includes a number of existing buildings and streets which would subsequently be demolished or modified to accommodate the Place. Among other things, the plan notes the Rue Benjamin-Franklin, named in 1791 to honor Benjamin Franklin, a long-time resident of Paris. Franklin lived near this location from 1777 to 1785, at the Valentinois Mansion, which is now 66 Rue Raynouard.
The Place du Trocadéro has undergone several transformations since its conception. Initially, the area was dedicated to the "Roi de Rome," the title given to Napoleon I's son, born in 1811. However, the grand palace intended to be his residence on the Chaillot hill was never built. The young Roi de Rome, Napoleon II, died in 1832.
After Napoleon II's death, a number of projects were proposed. In 1839, Camille Moret designed a tomb for Napoleon I, and in 1841, Hector Horeau proposed the addition of a colossal 30-meter statue of the Emperor. In 1858, the sculptor Antoine Étex, having proposed a monument to Liberty in 1848, envisaged a "monumental lighthouse or fountain" at the center of a circular square housing the imperial palace and ministerial buildings. In 1868, Hector Horeau proposed a new project for a colossal statue of "intelligent France enlightening the world". But none of this came to fruition.
The top of the hill remained largely open, until it was leveled to create the Place du Roi de Rome (Place du Trocadéro) in 1869, and the land below until the Trocadéro gardens were laid out in 1876.
In 1877, the square was renamed "Place du Trocadéro," referring to a Spanish fort taken by the Duke of Angoulême during the Spanish campaign. An obelisk planned by Charles X to commemorate this victory was never realized, and instead, for the Universal Exhibition of 1878, the Palais du Trocadéro was erected on the site. This building, which adopted both Moorish and neo-Byzantine styles, was designed by Jules Bourdais and Gabriel Davioud.
The Palais du Trocadéro was eventually demolished to give way to a more permanent structure for the International Exhibition of Arts and Techniques in 1937. This event led to the construction of the Palais de Chaillot on the ruins of the old palace. The new building effectively separated the Place from the gardens of Trocadéro with which it had previously merged. The architects Jacques Carlu, Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, and Léon Azéma designed the new building, reusing the old palace's structure to create a grand terrace facing the Eiffel Tower.
Before these developments, the site was occupied by the convent of the Visitandines of Chaillot, which had been established there in 1651 and was destroyed in 1794. This convent had been built on the grounds of the Château de Chaillot, dating back to the medieval period and significantly expanded over the years by various owners, including Catherine de Médicis.
The text translates as follows:
Seen, not opposing, to be annexed to the Bill adopted by the Legislative Body in its session of March 18, 1869.
The President of the Legislative Body, Signed: Schneider.
Certifies in accordance with the original plan existing in the Archives of the Chamber of Deputies.
Paris, April 27, 1881
The Archivist of the Chamber of Deputies, Signed: Doulcet
Provenance: Lucien Désiré Prosper Graux (his bookplate)
Lucien Désiré Prosper Graux, known as Lucien Graux (1878-1944), was a multifaceted French figure with significant contributions across various domains. Born in Paris, the son of a doctor and art collector, Graux followed in his father's professional footsteps and pursued a medical career. His early life was marked by his initiation into the Freemasons and his academic exploration into the mineral properties of water.
Graux's scientific career was distinguished by his specialization in public hygiene, urology, and pharmacology, with an editorial role at La Gazette Médicale de Paris. During World War I, he served as a medical assistant in the French army, simultaneously establishing the perfume house Arys, which later achieved international success and recognition, especially during the 1925 International Exhibition. He also served in diplomatic missions and advisory positions within various French ministries, earning him the honor of Knighthood in the Legion of Honor.
As an art collector and bibliophile, Graux amassed an impressive collection of manuscripts and books, even gifting a significant historical document, the "Testament of Louis XIV," to the state. His passion for literature extended to founding a publishing house and authoring over fifty essays and several novels characterized by fantastic and occult themes.
During World War II, as a member of the French Resistance, he was captured by the Gestapo and ultimately perished at the Dachau concentration camp in 1944. Posthumously, Arys perfumes honored him with a fragrance before the brand itself faded from existence.
Graux's extensive library was later auctioned by auctioneer Maurice Rheims in a series of nine sales from 1953 to 1957, with the National Library securing some of the most valuable pieces.
Graux's name is inscribed in the crypt of the Pantheon.