Jean Baptiste Antoine Lassus

Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus (19 March 1807 – 15 July 1857) was a French architect who became an expert in restoration or recreation of medieval architecture. He was a strong believer in the early Gothic architecture style, which he thought as a true French and Christian tradition, and was opposed to the classical Graeco-Roman styles promoted by the academic establishment.

Early years

Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus was born in Paris on 19 March 1807.

He studied at the Collège Stanislas de Paris, and in 1823 was given drawing lessons by Christophe Civeton.

In 1828 he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he was a pupil of Louis-Hippolyte Lebas.

He left the school in 1830 and joined the architectural studio of Henri Labrouste.

Lassus submitted a plan to the Salon of 1833 for rebuilding the Tuileries Palace to return to the original design of Philibert de l'Orme.

In 1835 he proposed restoration of the Gothic-style Sainte-Chapelle.

He submitted a plan to the Salon of 1836 to restore the refectory of Saint-Martin-des-Champs Priory.

Professional career

Lassus took commissions to design churches and extensions to convents.

In 1835 he began to restore Saint-Séverin, Paris.

In 1836 Lassus and Félix Duban were given the task of restoring Sainte-Chapelle.

He worked on this project for the rest of his life, concentrating on the spire and the decorations of the interior, which he restored to their earlier form.

In 1837 he was named architect for the restoration of Saint-Séverin.

In 1839 Lassus and Étienne-Hippolyte Godde were given the task of restoring Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois.