People:

Charles Rohault de Fleury (draughtsman)
Charles Rohault de Fleury (architect)
Unknown, France, mid 19th century (engraver (printmaker))

Title:

Album of drawings and prints for an opera house for the Théâtre impérial de l'opéra, Paris

Date:

printed 1857-1860

Description:

- This album consists of 23 presentation drawings and transfer lithographs for an 1859-1860 project for an opera house for the Théâtre impérial de l'opéra. Three drawings and one engraving for the project which are included in the album, are not listed in the table of contents (DR1974:0002:027:005, DR1974:0002:027:006, DR1974:0002:027:021, DR1974:0002:027:027). Site plans DR1974:0002:027:002 and DR1974:0002:027:003 show the opera house on an irregular polygonal site just off boulevard des Capucines, enclosed by rues Neuve Mogador, Neuve des Mathurins, du Chemin de fer de l'Ouest (proposed), de l'Opéra (proposed), and place de l'Opéra (proposed). The principal façade is two storeys high and five bays wide. Serliana arches are supported and separated by Doric columns below and by Ionic columns above (DR1974:0002:027:004, DR1974:0002:027:006, and DR1974:0002:027:007). Iron roof trusses are visible in cross section DR1974:0002:027:024. The auditorium is a modified horseshoe shape, squarish in plan (DR1974:0002:027:012 - DR1974:0002:027:014). A cross section through the auditorium shows the stage curtain with a trompe-l'oeil view of the opera's proposed principal façade.

Form:
drawings
works of art

Quantity / Object type:
1 album(s)

Stage and Purpose:

presentation drawings (proposals)
structural drawing

Technique and media:

Prints include mostly transfer lithographs, some with wash and graphite on wove paper, and an engraving on wove paper

Dimensions:

album (approx.): 2,5 x 68 x 54 cm plate mark: 40 x 88 cm sheet (smallest): 30,3 x 50,5 cm sheet (largest): 66,6 x 100,2 cm secondary support (smallest): 49,1 x 64 cm secondary support (largest): 66,5 x 95 cm

Reference number:

DR1974:0002:027:001-027

Drawing Type:

line drawing
finished drawings
freehand drawing
renderings
preliminary drawings

Method of Projection:

exterior perspective
scale drawings
partial plans
floor plans
reflected ceiling plan
site plans
cross sections
longitudinal section
partial sections
exterior elevations
interior elevations
sketch plans (drawings)

Point of View:

exterior views
interior views

Physical characteristics and technical requirements:

- This album is bound with album boards faced with green marbled paper and a green leather spine. The pastedown and flyleaf are also faced with marbled paper. Twenty-six sheets are attached to the binding with guards. Many of the guards remain unused. One unbound sheet has been inserted into the album.

Inscription:

inscribed and dated - on DR1974:0002:027:001, by the draughtsman, in graphite, l.l.: "ce cahier avait été remis a Fould / a la fin de 1859- / il me l'a rendu après / sa sortie du ministre [sic]"; c.: "cette feuille a ete detachee etre envoyee [sic] au ministre 12 x [December] 1860" [next to nos. 4, 17] and "id" [next to no. 18] numbered - on DR1974:0002:027:002 - DR1974:0002:027:004, DR1974:0002:027:006 - DR1974:0002:027:020, and DR1974:0002:027:024 - DR1974:0002:027:026, by an contemporary hand, in pen and black ink, on u.r. and/or verso u.l.: "No 1." to "No 21." [drawing no. 4 is missing and drawings nos. 17 and 18 are unnumbered] inscribed - on most of the drawings and originals, by a contemporary hand, various locations: with titles signed - on DR1974:0002:027:006, by the draughtsman, in pen and brown ink, on the print within the plate mark, l.r.: "Rohault de Fleury" inscribed, dated and signed - on DR1974:0002:027:007 - DR1974:0002:027:009, DR1974:0002:027:011 - DR1974:0002:019, and DR1974:0002:027:024 - DR1974:0002:027:026, by the draughtsman, in pen and black ink and/or brown ink, in various locations: with date, or with date and signature inscribed - on DR1974:0002:027:010 - DR1974:0002:027:019, by the draughtsman, in pen and black ink, in various locations: with names of rooms, some with dimensions inscribed - on DR1974:0002:027:011 and DR1974:0002:027:020, by the draughtsman, in pen and brown ink, l.r.: with a note indicating that these drawings were revised by drawings made in 1860 inscribed - on DR1974:0002:027:009, DR1974:0002:027:025, and DR1974:0002:027:027, by the draughtsman, in graphite and pen and black ink, in various locations: with dimensions on the layout of the building

Subject:

architecture
interior design
urban planning

Credit line:
Collection Centre Canadien d'Architecture/
Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal