Louis-Hippolyte Lebas
Encyclopedia
Louis-Hippolyte Lebas was a French architect working in a rational and severe Neoclassical style
, who was trained in the atelier of Percier and Fontaine
, the favoured architects of Napoleon. After Napoleon's exile he remained the assistant of Pierre François Léonard Fontaine
, whose design for the sober Chapelle Expiatoire
over the burial site of Louis XVI
and Marie Antoinette
he oversaw in construction (1816-1824). He also assisted Éloi Labarre
(1764—1833) in completing the Palais Brongniart (1813-1826), the seat of the Paris Bourse
, named after its architect, Alexandre Brongniart
.
One of his most known work is the Parisian church Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
for which he was commissioned in 1823 and that he achieved in 1836. He built the former prison of Petite Roquette, (1826-1836, demolished 1974), which was the first example in France of a progressive panoptic prison
.
Lebas taught the History of Architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts
, from 1840 to 1863. In this teaching role, applying the art-historical
method of Johann Joachim Winckelmann
to the study of historical architecture, he set a mark on several generations of young French architects.
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
, who was trained in the atelier of Percier and Fontaine
Percier and Fontaine
Percier and Fontaine was a noted partnership between French architects Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine. Together, Percier and Fontaine were inventors and major proponents of the rich and grand, consciously archaeological versions of neoclassicism we recognize as Directoire...
, the favoured architects of Napoleon. After Napoleon's exile he remained the assistant of Pierre François Léonard Fontaine
Pierre François Léonard Fontaine
Pierre François Léonard Fontaine was a neoclassical French architect, interior decorator and designer.Starting from 1794 Fontaine worked in such close partnership with Charles Percier, originally his friend from student days, that it is difficult to distinguish their work...
, whose design for the sober Chapelle Expiatoire
Chapelle Expiatoire
The Chapelle expiatoire is a chapel located in the eighth arrondissement, of Paris, France. This chapel is dedicated to King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette, although they are formally buried in the Basilica of St Denis....
over the burial site of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
and Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
he oversaw in construction (1816-1824). He also assisted Éloi Labarre
Éloi Labarre
Étienne Éloi Labarre was a French architect.He produced the plans for the Colonne de la grande Armée at Wimille, erected in 1804 on the order of Napoléon I...
(1764—1833) in completing the Palais Brongniart (1813-1826), the seat of the Paris Bourse
Paris Bourse
The Paris Bourse is the historical Paris stock exchange, known as Euronext Paris from 2000 onwards.-History and functioning:...
, named after its architect, Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart
Alexandre Brongniart was a French chemist, mineralogist, and zoologist, who collaborated with Georges Cuvier on a study of the geology of the region around Paris...
.
One of his most known work is the Parisian church Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
Church Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Paris
The Church Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is a neoclassical church built by architect Louis-Hippolyte Lebas between 1823 and 1836 in the 9th arrondissement of Paris....
for which he was commissioned in 1823 and that he achieved in 1836. He built the former prison of Petite Roquette, (1826-1836, demolished 1974), which was the first example in France of a progressive panoptic prison
Panopticon
The Panopticon is a type of building designed by English philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late eighteenth century. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe all inmates of an institution without them being able to tell whether or not they are being watched...
.
Lebas taught the History of Architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
, from 1840 to 1863. In this teaching role, applying the art-historical
Art history
Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and style...
method of Johann Joachim Winckelmann
Johann Joachim Winckelmann
Johann Joachim Winckelmann was a German art historian and archaeologist. He was a pioneering Hellenist who first articulated the difference between Greek, Greco-Roman and Roman art...
to the study of historical architecture, he set a mark on several generations of young French architects.