L'Opéra Garnier : dessins pour un chef-d'Oeuvre

The very many plans produced by Charles Garnier (1825-1898) and his agency to build the Garnier opera house have never been the subject of a specific publication. They deserve to be, however, because of their splendour - some of them are works of art in their own right - and their interest in the history of one of the most emblematic buildings in Parisian town planning and Second Empire architecture.

This book showcases this rich heritage by selecting the most important drawings and presenting them according to an architectural logic. As a preamble, the 1860 competition and the various projects submitted at that time are given pride of place. Unfinished projects are also presented, in order to show these little-known spectacular documents and to understand Garnier's architectural thinking as it evolved towards both greater refinement and pragmatism.