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Charles Percier (; 22 August 1764 – 5 September 1838) was a neoclassical French architect, interior decorator and designer, who worked in a close partnership with
Pierre François Léonard Fontaine Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
, originally his friend from student days. For work undertaken from 1794 onward, trying to ascribe conceptions or details to one or other of them is fruitless; it is impossible to disentangle their cooperative efforts in this fashion. Together, Percier and Fontaine were inventors and major proponents of the rich, grand, consciously-archaeological versions of neoclassicism we recognise as
Directoire style Directoire style () was a period in the decorative arts, fashion, and especially furniture design in France concurrent with the Directory (November 2, 1795–November 10, 1799), the later part of the French Revolution. The style uses Neoclassi ...
and
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...
.


Biography

Percier was born into a poor Parisian family in 1764. His mother was a laundry woman for Marie-Antoinette and his father was a porter at one of the gates of the Palace of Tuileries, who was later promoted into a post in the interior of the palace. This afforded the young Charles Portier an opportunity to observe first hand the lifestyles of the wealthy nobility in a palace that he would, years later, play a major role in rejuvenating.


Schooling and early career

From the age of 12 onward, Percier attended a free school for teaching drawing, an establishment whose mission was to provide access into the art world for poor students. Percier's talent was quickly recognised. After passing a short time in the studio of a painter named Lagrenée, a place was found for him in the highly respected studio of the renowned architect, Antoine-François Peyre. It was there that he met Pierre Fontaine, with whom he would form a life-long and very successful partnership. Starting in 1794, Fontaine and Percier worked so closely together that it is often difficult to separate their contributions. A 19th century observer noted the following about their intertwined careers: "It is surprising what a complete mastery these young men in a few years contrived to exercise over the tastes of their day." Percier won the second
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 1783, and, in 1784, at the age of twenty years, he won the grand prix de Rome (with a pension). This paid for his stay in Rome. Fontaine had won the second prix de Rome a year earlier and was already in Rome. Percier returned to Paris from Rome in 1791. One early product of their collaboration was ''Palais, maisons et autres édifices modernes dessinés à Rome'' ("A palace, houses and other modern buildings designed in Rome"), which attracted the attention of prospective clients when they returned to Paris. At the end of 1792, near the end of the first phase of the French Revolution, Percier was appointed to supervise the scenery at the
Paris Opéra The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
, a post at the center of innovative design. Fontaine returned from the security of London and they continued at the Opéra together until 1796. was a third member of their team.


Architect, designer and artist

Their initial successes in interior decoration came while serving wealthy, private clients: "The first clients of Percier and Fontaine were the financiers Ouvrard, Chauvelin and Gaudin, who had their recently acquired hotels in the Chaussée d'Antin district fitted out and decorated." It was through these private projects, which impressed the influential artist, David, that they first came to the attention of
Joséphine de Beauharnais Joséphine Bonaparte (, born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de La Pagerie; 23 June 1763 – 29 May 1814) was the first wife of Emperor Napoleon I and as such Empress of the French from 18 May 1804 until their marriage was annulled on 10 Janua ...
and
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
. Bonaparte thought highly of their work and gave them responsibility for some of the most prestigious projects of the
Consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...
and the
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
periods, including the creation of the Rue de Rivoli and the development of the Louvre Palace. He appointed them as his personal architects and never wavered in his decision; they worked on imperial projects throughout Napoleon's time in power. The relationship only dissolved when Napoleon abdicated and was exiled to Elba in 1814. From that time forward, Percier conducted a student ''atelier'', a teaching studio or workshop, and Fontaine became the more public face of the partnership. They worked for ten years (1802–1812) on the
Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is a national art museum in Paris, France, and one of the most famous museums in the world. It is located on the Rive Droite, Right Bank of the Seine in the city's 1st arrondissement of Paris, 1st arron ...
. The old Louvre palace had not been a royal residence for generations, so it was free of any taint associated with the detested Bourbons. It stood in the heart of Paris, so that the Emperor could be seen coming and going, unlike
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...
, which had been rendered uninhabitable through destruction and looting. They also pierced the first, western part of the rue de Rivoli, and built its distinctive arcades, and, in the process, built the northern, 'Rivoli' wing of the Louvre, thereby competing the
Cour Carrée The Cour Carrée (, Square Court) is one of the main courtyards of the Louvre Palace in Paris. The wings surrounding it were built gradually, as the walls of the medieval Louvre were progressively demolished in favour of a French Renaissance archi ...
.:199 They refurbished and restructured the
Tuileries Palace The Tuileries Palace (, ) was a palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the Seine, directly in the west-front of the Louvre Palace. It was the Parisian residence of most French monarchs, from Henri IV to Napoleon III, until it was b ...
that, prior to be burnt down during the
Paris Commune The Paris Commune (, ) was a French revolutionary government that seized power in Paris on 18 March 1871 and controlled parts of the city until 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard (France), Nation ...
, faced the Louvre across the
Place du Carrousel The Place du Carrousel () is a public square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, located at the open end of the courtyard of the Louvre Palace, a space occupied, prior to 1883, by the Tuileries Palace. Sitting directly between the museum and the T ...
and the
parterre A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, plats, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the ...
s. In that prominent square, Percier and Fontaine designed the
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel () () is a triumphal arch in Paris, located in the Place du Carrousel. It is an example of Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical architecture in the Corinthian order. It was built between 1806 and 1808 to commemo ...
(1807–1808), commemorating the Napoleonic victories of the
Third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', i.e., the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system Places * 3rd Street (di ...
and Fourth Coalitions. Far from adhering to the classical model of nude statues, the designers of the Arc innovated by positioning, at the top of each of the Arc's eight marble columns, statues representing the eight corps of the Napoleonic army. Their uniforms are faithfully depicted in detail in these statues.:115 Percier and Fontaine also refurbished Josephine's
Château de Malmaison The Château de Malmaison () is a French château situated near the left bank of the Seine, about west of the centre of Paris, in the commune of Rueil-Malmaison. Formerly the residence of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, along with the Tui ...
, as well as the Château de Montgobert for
Pauline Bonaparte Paula Maria Bonaparte Leclerc Borghese (, ; 20 October 1780 – 9 June 1825), better known as Pauline Bonaparte, was an imperial French princess, the first sovereign Duchess of Guastalla, and the princess consort of Sulmona and Rossano. She was th ...
, and made alterations and decorations for former Bourbon palaces or castles at
Compiègne Compiègne (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Oise Departments of France, department of northern France. It is located on the river Oise (river), Oise, and its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois'' (). Administration Compiègne is t ...
,
Saint-Cloud Saint-Cloud () is a French commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France, from the centre of Paris. Like other communes of Hauts-de-Seine such as Marnes-la-Coquette, Neuilly-sur-Seine and Vaucresson, Saint-Cloud is one of France's wealthie ...
, and
Fontainebleau Fontainebleau ( , , ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Functional area (France), metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the Kilometre zero#France, centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a Subprefectures in Franc ...
. In working on these projects, they designed every detail of the interior decors: state beds, sculptural side tables, and other furniture, wall lights and candlesticks, chandeliers, door hardware, textiles, and wallpaper. On special occasions, Percier was called upon to design for the
Sèvres porcelain Sèvres (, ) is a French Communes of France, commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris. It is located from the Kilometre zero, centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of the Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a populatio ...
manufactory: in 1814 Percier's published designs were adapted by Alexandre Brogniart, director of Sèvres, a grand classicising vase 137 cm tall, that came to be known as the " Londonderry Vase" when Louis XVIII gave it to the Marquess of Londonderry just before the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
. Percier also designed the religious objects used in the baptism of Napoleon’s son.:220 In 1812, Percier and Fontaine published the ''Recueil de décoration intérieure concernant tout ce qui rapporte à l'ameublement'' ("Collection of interior designs: Everything that relates to furniture") with its engravings in a spare outline technique. These engravings spread their style beyond the Empire, helping to put a French stamp on the English
Regency style Regency architecture encompasses classical buildings built in the United Kingdom during the Regency era in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to earlier and later buildings following the same style. The period co ...
and influencing the Dutch-British connoisseur-designer, Thomas Hope. Indeed, their Empire style proved to be influential throughout Europe.


The partnership with Fontaine

Percier and Fontaine lived together for years as well as being colleagues and partners. Their different personalities and interests meant that they played different roles within the partnership. Fontaine assumed the public role and was the active manager of their projects and relations with clients, while Percier led a more reclusive existence in his apartments in the Louvre, while still participating conceptually in their joint projects and teaching at Beaux Arts.:33 Unlike Pierre Fontaine, whose diary relates his career path from the
Consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...
until the end of the
July Monarchy The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...
, Percier did not leave memoirs, but, instead, he bequeathed his collections of drawings to the
Institut de France The ; ) is a French learned society, grouping five , including the . It was established in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention. Located on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, the institute manages approximately ...
.


Death

Percier died on 5 September 1838. Fontaine designed a tomb for him in their characteristic style in the
Pere Lachaise Cemetery Pere may refer to: *Pere, Hungary, a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county *Pärtel-Peeter Pere (born 1985), Estonian entrepreneur, urban strategist, and politician *Rose Pere, Rangimārie Te Turuki Arikirangi Rose Pere (1937–2020), Māori New ...
. Fontaine died much later on 10 October 1853. His body was interred in the tomb he designed for Percier, in accordance with his wishes.


Students

At the end of 1814, Charles Percier officially retired and devoted himself to teaching. The following are some of his students: *
Auguste Caristie Auguste Nicolas Caristie (6 December 1783 in Avallon – 5 December 1862 in Paris) was a French architect. He is best known for his restorations of public monuments. Biography He was part of a long line of architects; originally from Italy. Hi ...
(1783–1862) *
François Debret François Debret (; 27 June 1777 – 19 February 1850) was a 19th-century French architect and Freemason. He was one of a group of influential academic architects in the 1820s and 1830s that furthered the precepts of Percier and Fontaine, although ...
(1777–1850) *
Joseph-Louis Duc Joseph-Louis Duc (; 25 October 1802 – 22 January 1879) was a French architect. Duc came to prominence early, with his very well received work at the July Column in Paris, and spent much of the rest of his career on a single building complex, ...
(1802–1879), prix de Rome 1825 *
Martin-Pierre Gauthier Martin-Pierre Gauthier (1790–1855) was a French architect. A student of Charles Percier, he won the Grand Prix de Rome in 1810 with a project for a Christian basilica. He stayed at the Villa Medici between 1811 and 1814. On his return to P ...
(1790–1855), prix de Rome 1819 *
Alphonse de Gisors Alphonse-Henri Guy de Gisors (3 September 1796 – 18 August 1866) was a 19th-century French architect, a member of the Gisors family of architects and prominent government administrators responsible for the construction and preservation of many ...
(1796–1866), second prix de Rome 1823 *
Jacques Hittorff Jacques Ignace Hittorff or, in German, Jakob Ignaz Hittorff (, ) (Cologne, 20 August 1792 – 25 March 1867) was a German-born French architect who combined advanced structural use of new materials, notably cast iron, with conservative Bea ...
(1792–1867) * Jean-Jacques-Marie Huvé (1783–1852) *
Louis-Hippolyte Lebas Louis-Hippolyte Lebas (31 March 1782 in Paris – 12 June 1867 in Paris) was a French architect working in a rational and severe Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical style. Life and career He was trained in the atelier of Percier and Fontain ...
(1782–1867) *
Achille Leclère Achille-François-René Leclère (29 October 1785 – 23 December 1853) was a French architect and teacher of architecture. Achille Leclère studied architecture under Charles Percier and Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand. After finishing his stu ...
(1785–1853) * (1795–1855) *
Auguste de Montferrand Auguste de Montferrand (; ; January 23, 1786 – July 10, 1858) was a French classicist architect who worked primarily in Russia. His two best known works are the Saint Isaac's Cathedral and the Alexander Column in Saint Petersburg. Early life ...
(1786–1858) * (1781–1861) * Louis Tullius Joachim Visconti (1791–1853)


References


External links


''Palais, maisons et autres édifices modernes'' (1798)
*''Recueil de décoration intérieure''
18011812
{{DEFAULTSORT:Percier, Charles 1764 births 1838 deaths Architects from Paris French neoclassical architects 18th-century French architects 19th-century French architects French currency designers Prix de Rome for architecture École des Beaux-Arts alumni Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery People associated with the Louvre