artnet.com: Resource Library: Percier, Charles

Services | The Grove Dictionary of Art


	Percier(-Bassant), Charles (b Paris, 22 Aug 1764; d Paris, 5 Sept 1838). French architect, draughtsman and drawing-master. With PIERRE-FRANÇOIS-LÉONARD FONTAINE he formed a lifelong friendship and a close working collaboration to design theatre scenery, architecture and interior decoration. At the end of 1792 Percier invited Fontaine, then in exile in London, to share his new appointment as supervisor of the scenery at the Opéra in Paris; they remained in this post until 1796. It is difficult to define exactly the separate contributions of Percier, Fontaine and Claude-Louis Bernier (1755–1830) in their work together. Each made a considerable contribution to the foundation and subsequent direction of the EMPIRE STYLE. From the first half of the 18th century the Comte de Caylus had instigated a passion for antiquity with the publication of his works on the Classical monuments of Greece, Italy and Egypt. It was Percier and Fontaine who interpreted this classicism by creating in the Empire style a synthesis of its grandeur and grace and directing the style towards good taste and reason.
	There are more than 45,000 articles in The Grove Dictionary of Art. To access the rest of this article, including the bibliography, subscribe to www.groveart.com. To find out more about this subject, click on a related article below and subscribe to www.groveart.com
	Percier(-Bassant), Charles Fontaine, Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, Pierre-François-Léonard, §1: Training and early work, 1778–1800 France, §II, 4(vi): Architecture, c 1814–c 1914: The city-machine Girodet, Anne-Louis, §1(ii): From c 1795: Paris Pompeian Revival, §4: The 19th century and later architecture architectural decorations Stucco and plasterwork, §III, 10(i)(b): Western world, 1400–1850: France façades France, §II, 3(v): Revolutionary period & Empire style arch., c 1789–c 1814 Paris, §II, 5(i): Urban development: Revolution and First Empire, 1789–1814 galleries (art) Paris, §V, 6(ii): Palais du Louvre: Post-medieval libraries Poznan palaces Fontaine, Pierre-François-Léonard, §2: Official architect, from 1801 Wilson, Charles urban planning Romanticism, §3(v): Manifestations in art: Architecture and planning assistants Reyers, Zeger book illustrations Book illustration, §III: 18th century Didot: (1) Pierre Didot collaboration Debret, Jean-Baptiste Display of art, §I, 1: Top- and sidelighting Letarouilly, Paul-Marie Meynier, Charles Monument, public, §5: Neo-classicism Ornament and pattern, §II, 6: Western Neo-classical Silva, Possidónio da Triumphal arch, §2: Later history decorative works Biennais, Martin-Guillaume drawings Saint-Denis Abbey, §II, 1(iv): Architectural sculpture: North transept, Porte des Valois Saint-Denis Abbey, §III: Stained glass furniture Bed, §2: 1600 and after Chair, §3: After c 1450 Fontainebleau, §1(ii): Château, 1610 and after France, §VI, 4: Furniture, 1794–1848 Spain, §VI, 3(i): Furniture, 1701–1813: Court furniture Spain, §VI, 4: Furniture, 1814–1900 groups and movements Egyptian Revival, §2: Interior decoration and furnishings, 1760–1820 Empire style, §1: Formulation and early phase Gothic Revival, §I, 1(iii): Architecture: Growth, theory and alliance with nationalism Neo-classicism, §1: Archaeology and the rise of historicism Neo-classicism, §5: The late phase Renaissance Revival, §1: Architecture interior decoration Acanthus, §2: c 1600 and after France, §V, 4: Interior decoration, 1723–1815 Grotesque, §5: After 1752 Pedestal Spain, §V, 4: Interior decoration, 1701–1813 marquetry Marquetry, §2: History metalwork Forestier France, §IX, 1(iv): Gold and silver, after 1789 patrons and collectors Bonaparte: (1) Napoleon I, §4: Architecture and urban planning Bonaparte: (1) Napoleon I, §6: International influence Bonaparte: (1) Napoleon I, §5: Decorative arts Bonaparte: (2) Josephine Bonaparte: (7) Pauline Bourbon, §II: (6) Charles IV, King of Spain Potocki Saint-Cloud, §1: Château porcelain Sèvres Porcelain Factory, §2: 1792–1871 pupils Abadie, Paul, the elder (1783-1868) Abadie, Paul Bourla, Pierre (Bruno) Bourla, Pierre Debret, François Debret, François Destailleur, François-Hippolyte Destailleur Duc, (Joseph-)Louis Duc, Louis Gärtner, Friedrich von Gärtner: (2) Friedrich von Gärtner Gisors, Alphonse(-Henry) de Gisors Grandjean de Montigny, Auguste-Henri-Victor Grandjean de Montigny, Auguste-Henri-Victor Hetsch, G(ustav) F(riedrich) Hetsch: (2) Hetsch, G. F. Hittorff, Jacques-Ignace Hittorff, Jacques-Ignace Lebas, Louis-Hippolyte Lebas, Louis-Hippolyte Leclère, (Achille-)François-René Leclère, François-René Lesueur, Jean-Baptiste-Cicéron Lesueur, Jean-Baptiste-Cicéron Lusson, Adrien-Louis Lusson, Adrien-Louis Mazois, Charles-François Mazois, Charles-François Penchaud, Michel-Robert Penchaud, Michel-Robert Pitloo, Anton Sminck (van) Pitloo, Anton Sminck Renard, Bruno Renard, Bruno Roelandt, Louis Joseph Adrien Roelandt, Louis Joseph Adrien Suys, Tieleman-Frans Suys: (1) Tieleman-Frans Suys Visconti (ii), Louis-Tullius-Joachim Visconti (ii): (3) Louis-Tullius-Joachim Visconti Zanth, Ludwig von Zanth, Ludwig von staff Montferrand, August Ricard de teachers Peyre: (2) Antoine-François Peyre Vaudoyer: (1) Antoine-Laurent-Thomas Vaudoyer writings Architectural drawing, §2(iii): 19th century and after Belgium, §VI, 3(i): Furniture, after 1800: Empire and revival styles France, §II, 4(i): Architecture, c 1814–c1914: Basilical variants & private arch. at the Restoration Normand, Charles

Reproduced by kind permission of Macmillan Publishers Limited, publishers of The Grove Dictionary of Art.
� Copyright 2000 Macmillan Publishers Limited.

artnet.com | artnet.de | artnet.fr

search artists: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z