Napoleon's Architects, with Barry Bergdoll

On May 9th, 2019, The ICAA hosted Barry Bergdoll to discuss the renowned work of "Napoleon's architects," Charles Percier (1764-1838) and Pierre Fontaine (1762-1853). Percier and Fontaine were not only the Emperor's official government architects, but two of the most celebrated teachers at the legendary Ecole des Beaux-Arts, responsible for developing the highly influential neoclassical Empire, or Directoire, style of design. This insightful lecture was filmed in its entirety and can now be viewed online.
This program is presented by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, a national nonprofit promoting the practice, understanding, and appreciation of classical design. To watch more online classes like this one, or to become a member and support our educational mission, visit www.classicist.org/ .
About the Speaker
Berry Bergdoll is Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History at Columbia University and a curator in the Department of Architecture and Design at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. He is also the author of the introduction to the recent ICAA publication, The Complete Works of Percier and Fontaine, published in partnership with Princeton Architectural Press.
This lecture was presented as part of The Françoise and Andrew Skurman Lecture Series on Classical French Architecture.

[@optikohipnotiko9599]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING SUCH A FASCINATING AND INTERESTING PERIOD OF THE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE . . . . .VERY ENRICHING .. . .. !!! . . .. GREETINGS FROM MEXICO . ..... . .!

[@lovinglife419]

Exceptional! Thanks for sharing!

[@karlkee]

Mr Begdoll, thank you so much for this presentation on Percier Dontaine. Years ago I was trying to locate the whereabout the Rue de Rivoli elevation drawing. Could you tell me please where it is kept today?

[@itinerantmendicant]

Excellent lecture!

[@user-mj7yh4ig5m]

Amazing!

[@vadimsky]

Thank you👌

[@zico739]

Good stuff.

[@Celtopia]

Thank you,that was fascinating,....... But you really do need to cut down on the "ER" before every word ......

[@user-qm7nw7vd5s]

OOOOOPS! Jim Morrison, not Jimmy Hendrix, is buried in Père Lachaise. They are both rock musicians, easy to mix up...

[@LamiNalchor]

Why did so few houses of the empire period survive?

[@xhulioqejvanaj1548]

New riches .werent able to maintain their position.

[@LamiNalchor]

@@xhulioqejvanaj1548 Why would you tear them down, though?

[@fainatselnik267]

Engaging and with great drawings. Mentioning ten times modest, WORKING background of one of the architect is hilarious. May be in the frame of princely Versallle, it sounded socially elevated, but considering that so many iconic architects came from the families of painters, wood workers, crafts guild members,not to mention the origin of Napoleon HIMSELF, it’s sounded a bit pathetic. Mighty tricolor on lapels of formers aristocracy. Architecture is field of sweat and tears and making out of this some social climbing story make a disservice to a very complicated field.

[@Nonamearisto]

"Drawling" lol.

[@4tunesfo]

Drawling, what a peculiar verbal tic for an architectural critic.