Charles Garnier

The eclecticism of Charles Garnier 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 through sculptures, frescos and marble. In 1900, opera was moved to the Bastille; since then, Garnier’s building has been home to the Paris Opera Ballet Company. The fame of this construction was such that it managed to push other noteworthy works, such as the Vila Eilenroc (1867), into the background.