Pierre L'Enfant
Pierre Charles L'Enfant (born August 2, 1754 in Paris , † June 14, 1825 in Prince George's County , Maryland ) was a French artist, scientist and city planner of Washington, DC
Life
From 1771 to 1776, L'Enfant studied art under his father at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture in Paris. At the age of 22 he decided to go to the "New World" with the Marquis Marie-Joseph Lafayette .
After arriving in what is now the United States in 1777, he first volunteered and later served as a major during the American War of Independence , becoming friends with George Washington during that time . So it came about that Washington approached him with a request to design the new capital on a 10 × 10 mile site. L'Enfant accepted this assignment and designed the new capital. His first city map was published in 1792. In their style, his buildings were reminiscent of the magnificent ancient buildings in ancient Rome.
The architect was celebrated as a hero, but after differences with the site manager he resigned from the project as early as 1792. The city of Washington, DC was largely built according to his plans, while the dropped hero fought for a decent pension in multiple courts until the end of his life. Pierre L'Enfant died an impoverished man. Only after his death were his deeds reconsidered and a memorial was built for him. His remains were exhumed and buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Web links
- Good information about the architectural history of Washington, DC (English)
- Information about L'Enfant Monument and the memory of him (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | L'Enfant, Pierre |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | L'Enfant, Pierre Charles (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | French artist and scientist, Washington DC urban planner |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 2, 1754 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Paris |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 14, 1825 |
| Place of death | Prince George's County , Maryland |