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Synopsis:
The Rohault de Fleury collection documents the work of three generations of French architects, Hubert, his son Charles, and his grandson Georges, spanning from the early 18th to late 19th century. The collection is extremely varied encompassing both private and government commissions and including domestic work, institutional buildings, commercial buildings, urban planning, and student work from both the École des beaux-arts and the École polytechnique, and archaeological studies. Stylistically, the projects incorporate the two dominant contemporary directions in French architecture - functionalism as advocated by Jean-Nicolas-Louis Durand and the classicism of the École des beaux-arts.

Description:
The CCA's Rohault de Fleury collection includes two of Georges' historical and archeological studies of medieval Italian architecture: 'Les Monuments de Pise au Moyen', 1866 (DR1974:028:001:066) and 'La Toscane au Moyen Age Lettres sur L' Architecture Civile et Militaire en 1400' 2 vols.,1874 (DR1974:0002:039 and DR1974:0002:040). 'Monuments de Pise au Moyen Age' is an atlas consisting solely of 66 prints of Pisan architecture, sculpture, and painting. The section on architecture is the largest, and is divided into three sections for the Lombard, Roman, and Gothic periods. The accompanying text, and an identical atlas of prints, is located in the CCA library. 'La Toscane au Moyen Age Lettres...' is a history of Tuscan civil and military architecture to 1400. The text is in the form of a fictitious correspondence between Raimond du Temple, a famous architect of the Louvre under Charles V, and his son Charles who is traveling through Tuscany. The text is accompanied by photomechanical illustrations, mostly sketches of scenes from bas-reliefs and manuscripts, and a few of built structures. The CCA library has two sets of a related publication entitled 'La Toscane au Moyen Age architecture civile et militaire' 2 vols. These earlier and larger publications are probably the source for some of the text and plates of 'La Toscane au Moyen Age Lettres...'. The introductory remarks, to 'La Toscane au Moyen Age Lettres..' and to the text (CCA library) of the 'Monuments de Pise au Moyen Age' are particularly informative as they provide an insight into Georges Rohault de Fleury's interpretation of historical periods of artistic renewal, decline, and decadence, and their didactic relationship to contemporary architectural and religious concerns.

Description:
Photograph by Stefano Graziani of the following work: Charles Rohault de Fleury, design development drawings for a «Galerie de zoologie», Museum national d'historie naturelle, Paris, mid 19th century, from Album Museum national d'historie naturelle, Charles de Rohault de Fleury collection, DR1974:0002:024:001-079, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal Questioning Pictures is a 36 photograph project commissioned by Fondazione Prada, Milan. Artist Stefano Graziani investigates archival and conservation systems in a number of museums. Through photographing museum objects, Graziani, focusing on the relationship between photographs, the museum objects and the power structures at play within institutions. The museums include the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montréal, Canada; Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, UK; the Kunstmuseum Basel, Switzerland; Museum Insel Hombroich in Neuss, Germany; the Museo di Castelvecchio in Verona, Italy; and the Plaster Cast Gallery at Museo Canova in Possagno, Italy.