Opéra Garnier Empty
Paris Opera is the creation of one man, Charles Garnier, from start to finish. He designed and chose everything down to the last detail. He guided the work of collaborating artists and sculptors, many of whom were former fellow students from the art schools Garnier attended, as well as winners of prestigious grand prize art winners. There were 15 principal artists and 75 sculptors and an army of artisans who worked on the Opera. The building of the Opera was a monumental achievement for which Garnier proudly took credit and disdainfully took criticism. Although I think the Opera is a place of over-the-top opulence and stunning extravagance, in the final analysis, I have to agree with the following quote:
“Throughout his life, Garnier was criticized for his excessive use of ornament, as Napoleon and Haussman are still accused of being inspired by an out-of-date and imperialist showmanship expressed in a language already debased. Such critics forget that every city needs its occasional monuments and occasions of grandeur, and that thanks largely to these three men, Paris remains one of the most beautiful cities in the world."
