Author Description

Charles Garnier (Paris 1825-1898). The eclectism of this French architect enables him to be placed within the Second Imperial style. His works can be considered as archetypal examples of Neo-classical Renaissance and baroque architecture. His greatest undertaking was the Opera House in Paris (1861-1875), highly relevant for the subsequent development of architecture in the nineteenth century. The overall effect is harmonious but different styles and decorations are combined together through sculptures, frescos and marble. In 1900 the opera was moved to the Bastille and since then Garnier's building has been home to the Paris Opera Ballet Company. The fame of this construction was such that it even managed to push other noteworthy works, such as the Vila Eilenroc (1867), into the background.