[Nicolaus von] (b Lunéville, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Aug 2, 1723; d Mannheim, July 30, 1796). French architect and designer, active in Germany. He received his initial training from his father, Anselm Pigage (d 1775), an architect at the court of Lorraine, and then went to Paris to study at the Académie Royale d’Architecture. He travelled extensively in England and Italy and kept abreast of international developments as a member of the Accademia di S Luca in Rome and as a corresponding member of the French Académie. In 1749 Pigage joined the staff of Charles Theodore, Elector Palatine, as superintendant of gardens and fountains. One of his first assignments was to revise the plans of Johann Joseph Couven for the Jägerhof in Düsseldorf. In 1752 he succeeded Guillaume d’Hauberat (fl 1700–49) as head of the royal building service. Pigage was ennobled and remained in the employ of the Elector for the remainder of his career, dominating architecture in the Palatinate during the second half of the 18th century. As court architect, Pigage was responsible for the design and maintenance of royal residences, gardens and other buildings, such as the small, elegant theatre (...