Berri grew up as the son of a pastor in Basel and Münchenstein. In his youth he wanted to become a Military engineer for Napoleon.[1] His father had thought for him a career as a stonemason but after the advice of a relative, his family supported his education as an architect.[2] Between 1817 and 1819 he studied in Karlsruhe with Johann Jakob Arnold the newphew of the famous architect Friedrich Weinbrenner.[3] From 1819, he was able to study with Weinbrenner. Afterwards he studied with the architect Jean-Nicolas Huyot in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts between 1823[2] and 1825. In August 1825, he won a competition which allowed him to continue his studies at the Académie des Beaux-Arts.[4] During his studies in Paris he rented a room.[5] He sometimes visited the cemetery Père Lachaise where he made sketches of the monuments and also attended the coronoation of Charles X.[6]
In 1826, he travelled to Italy, where he took an interest, both in Pompeii's buildings and frescos, and in the Renaissance palaces of Rome. In doing so, he developed the technical skills of a stonemason, plasterer, and bricklayer. He also practised drawing landscapes and figures, and studied subjects of technical construction.
Career
In 1828, Melchior Berri opened a construction business and a school of construction and drawing in Basel. His impact outside of the Basel region is mostly due to the construction of the Basel Museum, his only remaining monumental building, but is also due to his designs for city halls in Zurich and in Bern, as well as his plans for housing development for Luzern and Basel.
Berri was also a member of Basel-Stadt's Grand Council and its construction commission, and in 1841, he became president of the Verein Schweizerischer Ingenieure und Architekten (SIA; Association of Swiss Engineers and Architects). He obtained international fame as a neo-classical architect and became honorary doctor of two British architectural associations.
Between the stress he was under as both a builder and an artist, but possibly also due to the constraints of his provincial circumstances, Berri became depressed and took his own life in 1854.
Fountains (including the Dreizackbrunnen, Basel - 1837)
Demolished buildings
City Casino, Basel - 1821-1824; torn down 1949
Blömlein Theatre, Basel - 1829; torn down 1969
Railway Gate in the Basel City Wall - 1844; torn down 1880
References
^Huber, Dorothee; Huggel, Doris, eds. (2001). "Melchior Berri (1801-1854), Architekt des Klassizismus". Schwabe publishing house (in German). p. 11. Retrieved 2023-01-11.
melchior, berri, born, october, 1801, basel, died, 1854, basel, well, known, swiss, architect, portrait, johann, friedrich, dietlerborn, 1801, october, 1801died12, 1854, 1854, aged, parish, priest, münchenstein, appollonia, streckeisen, 1832, married, margaret. Melchior Berri born 20 October 1801 in Basel died 12 May 1854 in Basel was a well known Swiss architect Melchior BerriPortrait of Melchior Berri by Johann Friedrich DietlerBornMelchior Berri 1801 10 20 20 October 1801Died12 May 1854 1854 05 12 aged 52 He was the son of Melchior Berri parish priest in Munchenstein and Appollonia Streckeisen In 1832 he married Margaretha Simone Burckhardt of Basel Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Early life 1 2 Career 2 Legacy 2 1 Buildings 2 2 Miscellaneous 2 3 Demolished buildings 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditEarly life Edit Berri grew up as the son of a pastor in Basel and Munchenstein In his youth he wanted to become a Military engineer for Napoleon 1 His father had thought for him a career as a stonemason but after the advice of a relative his family supported his education as an architect 2 Between 1817 and 1819 he studied in Karlsruhe with Johann Jakob Arnold the newphew of the famous architect Friedrich Weinbrenner 3 From 1819 he was able to study with Weinbrenner Afterwards he studied with the architect Jean Nicolas Huyot in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts between 1823 2 and 1825 In August 1825 he won a competition which allowed him to continue his studies at the Academie des Beaux Arts 4 During his studies in Paris he rented a room 5 He sometimes visited the cemetery Pere Lachaise where he made sketches of the monuments and also attended the coronoation of Charles X 6 In 1826 he travelled to Italy where he took an interest both in Pompeii s buildings and frescos and in the Renaissance palaces of Rome In doing so he developed the technical skills of a stonemason plasterer and bricklayer He also practised drawing landscapes and figures and studied subjects of technical construction Career Edit In 1828 Melchior Berri opened a construction business and a school of construction and drawing in Basel His impact outside of the Basel region is mostly due to the construction of the Basel Museum his only remaining monumental building but is also due to his designs for city halls in Zurich and in Bern as well as his plans for housing development for Luzern and Basel Berri was also a member of Basel Stadt s Grand Council and its construction commission and in 1841 he became president of the Verein Schweizerischer Ingenieure und Architekten SIA Association of Swiss Engineers and Architects He obtained international fame as a neo classical architect and became honorary doctor of two British architectural associations Between the stress he was under as both a builder and an artist but possibly also due to the constraints of his provincial circumstances Berri became depressed and took his own life in 1854 Legacy EditBuildings Edit Villa Ehinger Munchenstein 1829 32 Altes Gemeindehaus in Riehen 1834 35 Museum for Natural History and Ethnography Basel 1842 49 Former Sarasin binding factory Youth Hostel Basel 1850 51 Several buildings in the botanical garden in Brugglingen including the orangery barn and tenant s house 1837 39 The stamp Basel Dove Miscellaneous Edit Tombs First multicolour stamp Basler Dybli 1845 Postboxes Basler Dybli Fountains including the Dreizackbrunnen Basel 1837 Demolished buildings Edit City Casino Basel 1821 1824 torn down 1949 Blomlein Theatre Basel 1829 torn down 1969 Railway Gate in the Basel City Wall 1844 torn down 1880References Edit Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 Melchior Berri 1801 1854 Architekt des Klassizismus Schwabe publishing house in German p 11 Retrieved 2023 01 11 a b Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 p 63 Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 p 75 Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 p 68 Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 p 70 Huber Dorothee Huggel Doris eds 2001 p 71External links Edit Media related to Melchior Berri at Wikimedia Commons Melchior Berri in the German National Library catalogue footnotes Melchior Berri Melchior Berri in German French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melchior Berri amp oldid 1133304112, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
