Félix-Emmanuel Callet (23 May 1791 – August 1854) was a French neoclassical architect.The register entry in L'état civil gives a death date of 1 August but other biographical notes such as Lance (''cf.'' bibliography), state 2 August.

Early life and family

Felix-Emmanuel Callet was born in Paris, the son of Antoine Callet (1755–1850), architect of civil buildings and highways of the city of Paris, known for his biographical works on French architects of the sixteenth century and his rich collection of books and antiques, amassed at his house in the

Rue de la Pépinière ''Ruta graveolens'', commonly known as rue, common rue or herb-of-grace, is a species of ''Ruta'' grown as an ornamental plant and herb. It is native to the Balkan Peninsula. It is grown throughout the world in gardens, especially for its bluis ...

and completed by his son. Felix was the elder brother of Adolphe Apollodorus Callet (1799–1831), historical painter and cousin of Antoine-François Callet (1799–1850), also an architect (not to be confused with the painter of the same name).

Education

Felix Callet was admitted to the School of Fine Arts in 1809. A pupil of his father and Pierre-Jules Delespine, he won the '' Grande médaille d'émulation'' in 1818 and achieved first class in 1819. He finished second in the

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

in 1818 with the topic: "a public promenade" before winning the Grand Prix the following year with his subject "a cemetery", tied with

Jean-Baptiste Lesueur Jean-Baptiste Cicéron Lesueur (5 October 1794, Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines - 25 December 1883, Paris) was a French architect, best known for his work on the Paris City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). Biography In 1811, he entered the École des Beau ...

. Resident at the

Villa Medici The Villa Medici () is a Mannerist villa and an architectural complex with a garden contiguous with the larger Borghese gardens, on the Pincian Hill next to Trinità dei Monti in Rome, Italy. The Villa Medici, founded by Ferdinando I de' Med ...

, his time in Rome included a project for reconstruction of the Forum of Pompeii in 1822. In collaboration with Lesueur, he published a book entitled ''

Architecture italienne, ou palais, maisons et autres édifices de l'Italie moderne Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...

'', of which some plates were exhibited at the

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon ...

of 1827.

Career

He was appointed architect for the city of Paris and taught his art to future architects. The architects Adolphe Azemard, Lucien-Dieudonné Bessières, Amant Constant-Mathurin Chalange, Jules Duru, Laurent-Amable Fauconnier, Jean Charles Geslin, Jean Jordan, Jean-Jacques Mellerio, Louis-Alphonse Nassau, Leon Ohnet, Pierre-Christophe Quinegagne, Jacques-Alfred Ruelle, François-Alexandre-Tingry Lehuby and Victor Nicolas Vollier, were all taught by Felix Callet or possibly his father. Felix Callet was one of the founding members of the '' Société centrale des architectes'' in 1840. Central market, Paris, France

In 1845, he partnered with

Victor Baltard Victor Baltard (9 June 180513 January 1874) was a French architect famed for work in Paris including designing Les Halles market and the Saint-Augustin church. Life Victor was born in Paris, son of architect Louis-Pierre Baltard and attended L ...

, who had been working for two years on the proposed new central market,

Les Halles Les Halles (; 'The Halls') was Paris' central fresh food market. It last operated on January 12, 1973, after which it was "left to the demolition men who will knock down the last three of the eight iron-and-glass pavilions""Les Halles Dead at 20 ...

. After the first plan was presented in 1848, the two architects accepted a new project, whose works commenced in 1851. Their part of an outdoor stone structure bearing a type of metal frame in the style of Polonceau however was quickly criticised, by

Hector Horeau In Greek mythology, Hector (; grc, Ἕκτωρ, Hektōr, label=none, ) is a character in Homer's Iliad. He was a Trojan prince and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. Hector led the Trojans and their allies in the defense o ...

, who called for a project that did not hide the metal, and by those who scoffed at the massive aspect of this "Fortress Halles". Work stopped in 1853 and the first pavilion was finally dismantled in 1866. A new project more in line with the wishes of the administration, with visible metal structures and simple brick fillings instead of stone façades, was proposed by the two architects between the end of 1853 and the beginning of 1854. The first two pavilions (demolished in 1972) were inaugurated in October 1857, three years after the death of Callet, Baltard continuing the work until 1874. Grandson of the architect, politician Marcel Habert demanded in 1912 that covered walkways in the central Halles should be named in Callet's honour. The proposal was approved by the Paris City Council in 1914.

Works

All located in Paris unless otherwise stated: * Villa "

La Perl du Lac LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

" for

François Bartholoni François () is a French masculine given name and surname, equivalent to the English name Francis. People with the given name * Francis I of France, King of France (), known as "the Father and Restorer of Letters" * Francis II of France, King o ...

(now the Museum of History of Science, Geneva ) in Sécheron, Geneva (1828–1830). * " Hôtel des commissaires-priseurs" of the

Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plate ...

(former headquarters of the

Paris Chamber of Commerce The Paris Chamber of Commerce (french: Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris or ''CCIP'') is a chamber of commerce of the Paris region. It defends the interests of companies of the city of Paris, and provides services to these companies. S ...

), Place de la Bourse (1832). * Railway stations: The original

Gare d'Austerlitz The Gare d'Austerlitz (English: Austerlitz Station), officially Paris-Austerlitz, is one of the six large Paris rail termini. The station is located on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the 13th arrondisseme ...

station, rebuilt after 1862 and the Gare de Corbeil-Essonnes for the Compagnie du chemin de fer de Paris à Orléans (with Callet's father and the engineer Jullien, 1835–1840). * Funereal monuments for the Marcilly, Tattet (after 1837), Bartholony, Leconte, Perier, Delacroix, Ganneron families at the

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figures ...

. * Hotel Casimir Lecomte, Place Saint-Georges. * Villa Dufour,

Bellevue, Switzerland Bellevue is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland. History The village of Colovrex is first mentioned in 1257 as ''Colovray''. In 1855, the municipality of Bellevue separated from the municipality of Collex-Bossy

. * Saulsure Castle, near Vernon. * Tomb of Marshal Clauzel,

Mirepoix A mirepoix ( ; ) is a flavor base made from diced vegetables cooked—usually with butter, oil, or other fat—for a long time on low heat without coloring or browning, as further cooking, often with the addition of tomato purée, creates a dark ...

(after 1842). * "Stone Hall" of the central market (with Baltard, from 1851 to 1853, demolished in 1866). * Paved walkways of the central market (with Baltard, made by him from 1854 to 1874 and demolished in 1972). * Project for the Geneva Conservatory of Music (1853), finally realised and completed in 1858 by Samuel Darier from Lesueur's plans.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* * * *

External links

*
Drawings by Félix Callet
in the database ''Cat'zArts'' of the

École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts The Beaux-Arts de Paris is a French '' grande école'' whose primary mission is to provide high-level arts education and training. This is classical and historical School of Fine Arts in France. The art school, which is part of the Paris Scien ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Callet, Felix Emmanuel 1791 births 1854 deaths École des Beaux-Arts alumni Architects from Paris 19th-century French architects Prix de Rome for architecture French neoclassical architects Members of the Académie d'architecture