Henri-Jacques Espérandieu

Henri-Jacques Espérandieu , (Nimes, 1829 - 1874) was a French architect nîmois. He in particular designed the basilica of Notre Dame of the Guard, as well as the Palais Longchamp, with Marseilles, in France.

Jacques Henri Espérandieu was born with Nimes on September 20th 1829 unknown parents. It is a " child déposé" : he is collected and adopted by a rich person family of millers nîmois Protestante, the Carrière family.

L studies with Nimes and is pointed out dice the 8 years age for its gifts of draftsman. It most clearly passes from its early childhood to paint and to draw and his/her father Auguste Abraham Carrière organizes at the house of the Community of the Reformed Church of Nimes an exposure of his tables that the child signs double name " Career Espérandieu ".

July 23rd 1841, at the time of one evening under the treillised vineyards of the Fabret villa (with the Plain), it obtains from three Protestant commercial rich person the promise of a purse of support to study painting with Paris.

After an imperial diploma of architecture, obtained after six years of studies and the constitution of a project, Jaques Henri Espérandieu seeks to enter a private workshop or to obtain personal orders. For young a 28 year old architect it is difficile.
During 2 years he attends the Parisian great names Henri Labrouste, Vaudoyer, Charles Garnier, Perigault.

He seeks orders and a style. Period of doubt during which it even plans to give up art with the profit of the trade (it builds an experimental farm to raise the carrier pigeons).

In 1855, one informs it on the disease of his/her adoptive father who dies two months later at the hospital of Nimes. Espérandieu returns to Nimes for the funeral of Auguste Abraham. It is on this occasion that it obtains its first order: the new temple protesting. It is inaugurated in 1860. Powerful and light work luminous.

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