René Sergent (architect)

René Sergent (born July 4, 1865 in Paris , † August 22, 1927 in Congis-sur-Thérouanne ) was a French architect. At the beginning of the 20th century he created numerous luxury residences based on historical models in Paris. According to his plans, city villas were also built in New York and Argentina, as well as renovations of renowned hotels.

Life

Musée Nissim de Camondo in Paris

Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo in Buenos Aires

Sergent, the son of a baker from Clichy , was born in Paris in 1865. He studied architecture with Emile Trélat and François Thierry-Ladrange at the École Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris. After obtaining his diploma in 1884, he moved to the architectural office of Paul-Ernest Sanson , who at that time was considered one of the best architects for luxurious residences. Under his leadership, Sergent became enthusiastic about 17th and 18th century French architecture. Architects from Jules Hardouin-Mansart to Alexandre-Théodore Brongniart were among his models . He particularly appreciated the designs by Ange-Jacques Gabriel .

Sergent was involved in the completion of the Palais Rosa built for Boniface de Castellane on Avenue Foch , a major work by Paul-Ernest Sanson in the style of eclecticism . He stayed in his architecture office for more than 15 years before founding his own architecture office around 1899. One of his first assignments was the construction of a Hôtel particulier for Comte Edmond de Fels on Avenue Foch, right next to the Palais Rosa . This was followed by other residences for wealthy builders such as the fashion designer Jean-Philippe Worth on the Champ de Mars or the brewery owner Otto Bemberg in the Rue Emile-Ménier. Its buildings, stylistically based on historical models, were characterized by a high level of comfort using the latest technical equipment. An outstanding example of this is his city ​​palace built between 1912 and 1914 for the banker Moïse de Camondo in Rue de Monceau No. 63 based on the model of the Petit Trianon in Versailles. Today it houses the Nissim de Camondo Museum and is part of the Les Arts Décoratifs institution .

Sergent redesigned the business premises in the Louis-seize style for the Duveen brothers, important art dealers on the elegant Place Vendôme . He also received orders for the renovation and expansion of large hotels such as the Hotel Trianon Palace in Versailles, the Savoy Hotel and Hotel Claridge's in London or the Hotel Stephanie (now Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa ) in Baden-Baden. In addition, Sergent created designs for buildings in New York, which his colleague Horace Trumbauer supervised on site. Some luxury city villas in Argentina were also built according to Sergent's plans.

He received the Deschaumes Prize in 1889 and the Grande médaille de l'architecture privée award from the Société centrale des architectes in 1911 . In 1921 Sergent took on the architects René Bétourné and Léon Fagnen in his architecture office, who continued the business after Sergent's death in 1927.

Selection of works

• 1894 - Hôtel particulier at 9 rue Léo-Delibes in Paris
• 1903–1906 - Château de Voisins in Saint-Hilarion (Yvelines) built for Comte Edmond de Fels
• 1909 - Hôtel particulier, 4 avenue Emile-Deschanel on the Champ de Mars in Paris, built for Jean-Philippe Worth
• 1910 - Hôtel particulier, 9 avenue Charles Floquet in Paris, built for Jules Steinbach, now the residence of the Indian ambassador
• 1911–1914 - Hôtel particulier, Rue de Monceau No. 63 in Paris, built for Comte Moïse de Camondo , today the Nissim de Camondo Museum
• 1911 - Palacio Bosch in Buenos Aires, built for Ernesto Bosch and Elisa de Alvear, today the embassy of the United States
• 1911 - Palacio Errazúriz in Buenos Aires, built for Matías Errazúriz, today the Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo
• 1912 - Palacio Sans Souci in San Fernando (Argentina), built for Carlos María de Alvear
• 1913 - Hôtel particulier, 19 avenue d'Iéna No. 19 in Paris, built for Alfred Heidelbach,
• 1913 - Hôtel particulier, avenue Matignon No. 9 in Paris, today business premises for the Christie’s auction house
• Hôtel particulier, Rue Emile-Ménier No. 28, built for Otto Bemberg

literature

• Gilles Ragot: Archives d'architecture du XXe siècle . Mardaga, Liège 1991, ISBN 2-87009-446-9 .
• Gérard Rousset-Charny: Les palais parisiens de la Belle Epoque . Délégation à l'Action Artistique de la Ville de Paris, Paris 1990, ISBN 2-905118-29-6 .
• Michel Steve: René Sergent et le neo-classicisme 1900 . Dissertation, Paris 1993.

Web links

• René Sergent at La Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine au Palais de Chaillot (French)
• René Sergent at Les Arts Décoratifs (French)