Jean-Charles Kraft

Jean Charles Kraft is a Bavarian architect (certain works say it German) born on June 19th 1764 with Brunnerfeld (south-eastern of the Bavaria, built-in Dingolfing). Come to France, it was naturalized French. He died in Paris on December 18th 1833.

Jean Charles Kraft exerted in Paris, street of Burgundy n° 1463, German Saint suburb. Nicolas Ransonnette was in Paris, street of the Fig tree n° 43, Saint Paul district.

Jean Charles Kraft left, in French, a considerable work. Its work Plane, cuts and rises in the most beautiful houses and hotels built in Paris and in the surroundings , are, right from the start, trilingual; the text is published on three columns in French, German and English.

He would be the first architect used iron in the construction of the buildings.

However, its Treated on L `art of the theoretical and practical Frame published in 1819 then in 1822, treats only wood works. At that time, the frame is not only used to support the cover of the buildings, but also for the formwork of the domes in the course of construction, for the realization of bridges, machines of lifting, “squirrel cages” of large diameter, to which the weight of several men actuated a winch developing a considerable force. For the encyclopedic Dictionary Larousse 19th century (1863), this important work is still “useful for the experts” in spite of progress which modified so deeply the art of architecture. The same year 1863, the Dictionnaire of biography of history of geography mentions on the contrary that “this work enjoyed a high regard for a long time among the experts, but it is late today especially since the substitution or the mixture of the charcoal iron in the construction of the floors and roofs”. Avênement from the steam engine then spark-ignition engine removed any practical interest with the share of the work describing the lifting gear.

Jean Charles Kraft realized, with the assistance of an engraver of talent, Nicolas Ransonnette, a whole of engraved boards showing the interiors and the outsides of several castles, pastoral villas, and buildings embellishing of the gardens, located around Paris. A great number of constructions described and drawn by Jean-Charles Kraft were conceived by famous contemporary architects inspired of styles varied such as those initiated by Claude Nicolas Ledoux, Julien-David LeRoy, and François-Joseph Belanger.

A note of precise time in connection with the book most beautiful houses and hotels built in Paris and in the surroundings , (Editions UHL - 1812): “Citizens KRAFT, Architect and RANSONNETTE, Engraver, met to present them to the public with all the care and all possible celerity. The first or collected near the architects themselves the plans, cuts and frontages of the lately built houses, or raised and drew with the approval of the owners the details of which it had not been able to obtain the drawings. The second engraved them with the feature with precision. Already two books are at the day, four others are prepared so that their publication will be continued without delay and of month in month, as from this day first Floréal, year 9. The price of each delivery of six boards with its explanation, carefully printed in three languages is of 6fr for Paris and 7fr for the departments”. The exit of this work thus began on April 20th, 1801.

The works left by Jean-Charles Kraft and Nicolas Ransonnette interest the historian of architectural art particularly, in love one with the Paris old man, curious to know what was the decorations in which lived the easy families in the first third of the 19th century and more particularly during the first decade of this century.

One underlines the freedom of life and action from which a man originating in a country in war against France profited. The syndrome of the " 5th colonne" had not struck yet the Parisian population.

PUBLICATIONS

Plane Kraft Jean-Charles, Nicolas Ransonnette, , cuts and rises in the most beautiful houses and hotels built in Paris and in the surroundings , 1801 and following years., CH. Pougens and Levrault, Paris, in-fol.

Plane Kraft Jean-Charles, , cuts and rises in various productions of L `art of the frame carried out both in France and in the foreign countries , Paris, 1805, in-fol., 4 parts in a vol. with 220 pl.

Kraft Jean-Charles, Carriage entrances and the most remarkable main doors of Paris , 1809, in-4° oblong of 50 pl.

Kraft Jean-Charles, Collection of the prettiest houses of Paris and its surroundings including/understanding interior and external rises , 1809, in-4°, with 96 pl. (Mr. Thiollet gave one following this work)

Kraft Jean-Charles, Plane of the most beautiful picturesque gardens of France, England and Germany and the buildings, monuments, factories which contribute to their embellishment in all the kinds of architecture, such as Chinese, Egyptian, English, Arabic, Moorish , Paris: impr. of Levrault and C. Pougens, 1809-1810, 2 vol. in-fol, 96 pl.

Kraft Jean-Charles, Productions of several French and foreign artists relating to the picturesque gardens , 1810, in 4°

Kraft Jean-Charles, Collection of the most beautiful old and modern monuments , 1812 and suiv. (this work was to be made up of 12 deliveries containing each one 30 pl, the first alone appeared)

Kraft Jean-Charles, Plane general of the foundation of the hot Greenhouse to the Garden of St James, and Crosses taken on EFF, and the details of the furnaces , Paris: Crapelet for Bance Sr., 1812

Kraft Jean-Charles, No 1 Thatched cottage built in Ville of Avrai in the Garden of Mr. Thierry. No 2 Thatched cottage built in the Garden of Mr. Belanger Architect, in Sangeny , Paris: Crapelet for Bance Sr., 1812

Kraft Jean Charles, Collection of civil architecture: containing the plans, cuts and rises in the castles, country houses, and dwellings rural, English gardens, temples, thatched cottages, kiosks, bridges, etc, located, around Paris and in the close départemens, with interior decorations, and the detail of what the embellishment of the gardens concerns, in Paris: Impr. De Crapelet, 1812

Kraft Jean-Charles, Treated on L `art of the theoretical and practical Frame , 1st edict. 1819,6 flight, in-fol. ; Paris - Mannheim 1822

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

New general biography published by Firmin Didot brothers under the direction of Mr. Dr. Hoefer, Paris 1859 encyclopedic Dictionary Larousse 19th century , Paris, 1863 Dictionary of biography of history of geography , 1863, Dezobry Editions, Paris (street of the Schools) Table of sciences of the letters and arts of the most known men in all countries by A. Dantes, Paris, 1866

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