Eugène Viollet-le-Duc: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:56, 24 September 2002

Revision as of 10:05, 24 September 2002

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French architect, famous for his restorations of [[medieval]] buildings.

In the early 1830's[[1830s]], a movement for the restoration of medieval buildings

appeared in [[France]]. Viollet le Duc, returning from a study trip to

[[Italy]], was ordered by [[Prosper Merimée]] to restore [[Vezelay]] abbey. This work marked the beginning of a long series of restorations.

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innovative. His approach to both medieval and modern architecture was severely

rational, in keeping with his own unsentimental appreciation of the Gothic

achievement.<br>

The famous Catalan

architect [[Antoni Gaudi|Antoni Gaudí]] was

under strong influence of Gothic architecture revival of Viollet-le-Duc.

Throughout his career he also kept taking notes and drawings, not only on the buildings he was working on, but also on [[Roman]], [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] and [[Renaissance]] buildings that were to be soon demolished. His study of medieval and renaissance period was not limited to architecture, but extended to furniture, clothing, musical instruments, armament ...

All this work was published, first in serial, and then as full-scale books, as :

-* the ''Dictionnary of French Architecture from 10th to 15th Century'' (1854-1868) (''Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture française du XIe au XVe siecle'')

-* the ''Dictionnary of French Furnishings'' (1858-1870) (''Dictionnaire raisonné du mobilier français de l'époque Carolingienne `a la Renaissance.'')

Viollet-le-Duc systematized his approach to architecture and architectural education in the ''Entretiens sur l'architecture'' ( in 2 volumes, 185872), ''Discourses on Architecture.''