Jean de Bodt


Jean de Bodt was a Baroque architect of the 18th century.

Biography

Bodt was born in Paris to French Huguenot parents. He studied architecture, but was forced to flee from France after the Edict of Fontainebleau in the entourage of William III of Orange, the later William III of England to the Netherlands and further to London in 1688. He was promoted to a Captain of the British Artillery and Engineer Corps.
In 1699 he moved to Berlin to accomplish the construction of the Zeughaus, which was now largely influenced by the French and British style of the late 17th century. Bodt also worked at the Palaces of Potsdam and Schlodien, the Fortress of Wesel and completed the construction plans of the tower of the Berlin Parochialchurch in 1715. According to his drafts, Friedrichstein Palace in East Prussia was built for Count Dönhoff under the supervision of John von Collas.
Between 1709 and 1714 In 1728 switched into Saxonian service, where he became general intendant of civil and military buildings as successor of Count Wackerbarth and he received the title of General of the Infantry in 1741, but worked exclusively as an architect. Together with Pöppelmann and Longuelune he converted a small country house into the Japanese Palace at Dresden. He founded the Dresden Engineer Academy in 1742. Bodt died in Dresden.

Buildings by Jean de Bodt

Literature