Architecture : $b nineteenth and twentieth centuriesHitchcock, Henry-Russell
History
Architecture : $b nineteenth and twentieth centuries
Hitchcock, Henry-Russell
Architecture, Modern -- 19th century; Architecture, Modern -- 20th century
Similar to Weinbrenner’s Rondellplatz is the Karolinenplatz in Munich,
laid out by Karl von Fischer (1782-1820) in 1808. But this was
originally even more Romantic Classical in disposition, since the
individual houses were all discrete blocks set in the segments between
the entering streets. The 106-foot obelisk in the centre here was
erected in 1833 by Leo von Klenze (1784-1864). Fischer’s National
Theatre in the Max-Josephsplatz in Munich, projected in 1810 and built
in 1811-18—and later rebuilt by Klenze according to the original design
after a fire in 1823—is a quite conventional monument of its day
dominated by a great temple portico. Though not very crisp in its
proportions, this theatre has real presence, particularly in relation to
the less boldly scaled Renaissance Revival buildings by Klenze, the
Königsbau of 1826 and the Hauptpostamt of ten years later, which flank
it on the sides of the square.
Not to extend unduly this catalogue of German work of the very opening
years of the nineteenth century, one may conclude with mention of the
Women’s Prison in Würzburg by Peter Speeth (1772-1831) built in 1809-10.
In this, much of the boldness of design of the French prison projects of
Ledoux and Boullée was happily realized, if at a rather modest scale
(Plate 17B). Speeth later proceeded to Russia, but what he did there is
a mystery.
Austrian production was rather limited and on the whole undistinguished
in this period. The extant façade by Franz Jäger (1743-1809) of the
Theater an der Wien of 1797-1801 off the Linke Wienzeile in Vienna has a
delicacy that is more _style Louis XVI_ than Romantic Classical. Neither
the Palais Rasumofsky at 23-25 Rasumofskygasse in Vienna of 1806-7,
built by Louis Joseph von Montoyer (_c._ 1749-1811) for Beethoven’s
patron, nor his Albertina of 1800-4 on the Augustinerbastei has much
character. There is equally little to be said for the Palais Palffy of
1809 at 3 Wallnerstrasse by the other leading Viennese architect of the
day, Karl von Moreau (1758-1841). Despite his French name, Montoyer was
a Hapsburg subject from the Walloon provinces; Moreau’s origin is
uncertain, but he is reputed to have been trained, if not born, in
France. If he was not French, Austria would be one of the few countries
where no French architect worked in this period.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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