Inspired by Roman pageantry, French architect Charles Garnier wanted his buildings to have drama and spectacle. His design for the magnificent Opera House in Paris combined the classicism of Renaissance architecture with ornate Beaux Arts ideas.
Born:
November 6, 1825 in Paris, France
Died:
August 3, 1898 in Paris, France
Full Name:
Jean Louis Charles Garnier
Education:
- Early education at the École Gratuite de Dessin
- 1842: Began studies with Louis-Hippolyte Lebas at the École Royale des Beaux-Arts de Paris
- 1848: Won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome
- 1849: Studied at the Academy in Rome
- 1852: Traveled through Greece and Turkey
Great Buildings by Charles Garnier:
- 1857-1874: Opéra in Paris
- 1878: Casino at Monte Carlo
- Bischoffsheim Villa at Bordighera
- Hotel du Cercle de la Librairie in Paris
Important Styles:
About Charles Garnier:
Jean Louis Charles Garnier was born into a working class family. He was expected to become a wheelwright like his father. However Garnier wasn't healthy and his mother didn't want him to work in a forge. So, Charles Garnier took mathematics courses at the École Gratuite de Dessin. His mother hoped he would get good, steady work as a surveyor, but Charles Garnier achieved much greater success.
After studying architecture at the École Royale des Beaux-Arts in Paris, Charles Garnier spent five years at the Academy in Rome. He was inspired by Roman pageantry and aspired to design buildings that had the drama of a pageant.
The highlight Charles Garnier's career was his commission to design the Opéra in Paris. With its magnificent hall and grand staircase, the Opera House combined classical Renaissance ideas with lavish ornamentation. Garnier's opulent style reflected the fashion that became popular during Napoleon III's Second Empire.
