Eugène Louis Millet (21 May 1819 – 24 February 1879) was a French architect. He planned and began the restoration of the
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a former royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the department of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the '' Musée d'Archéologie nationale'' (Nationa ...
, home of the Museum of National Antiquities.
Life
Eugène Millet was born in Paris on 21 May 1819. He was in the class of 1837 at the
École des Beaux-Arts
; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts architecture, Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth centu ...
(School of Fine Arts), where he studied under
Henri Labrouste
Pierre-François-Henri Labrouste () (11 May 1801 – 24 June 1875) was a French architect from the famous school of architecture. After a six-year stay in Rome, Labrouste established an architectural training workshop, which soon became ...
and
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (; 27 January 181417 September 1879) was a French architect and author, famous for his restoration of the most prominent medieval landmarks in France. His major restoration projects included Notre-Dame de Paris, ...
.
Millet recalled that Labrouste provided his own drawings to teach his pupils, including studies of classical Italian works and his own designs, since he did not trust the École's materials and was trying to reinvent the discipline of architecture.
Millet later became associated with the
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
led by Viollet-le-Duc.
Millet became an assistant to Viollet-le-Duc in 1847 in the Documents service.
After 1848 Millet was appointed architect for the buildings of the dioceses of
Troyes
Troyes () is a Communes of France, commune and the capital of the Departments of France, department of Aube in the Grand Est region of north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about south-east of Paris. Troyes is situated within ...
and
Châlons-sur-Marne.
In 1853 the prefect of the
Aube
Aube ( ) is a French departments of France, department in the Grand Est region of northeastern France. As with sixty departments in France, this department is named after a river: the Aube (river), Aube. With 310,242 inhabitants (2019), started a dispute with Millet over
Troyes Cathedral
Troyes Cathedral () is a Catholic church, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, located in the town of Troyes in Champagne, France. It is the episcopal seat of the Bishop of Troyes. The cathedral, in the Gothic architectural style, has been ...
, claiming he was neglecting the work and should be replaced.
Viollet-le-Duc wrote a passionate tribute in Millet's defense, giving high praise for a quality of the work he had done at Troyes in the face of many difficulties.
The tribute is remarkable in that Viollet-le-Duc was not known for modesty about his own skills.
In 1857 Millet continued the project of building the
Moulins Cathedral
Moulins Cathedral () is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Moulins, Allier, France. It is also known as Notre-Dame de Moulins.
The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Moulins. It is a national monument.
The cathedral contains two ...
that had been started by
Jean-Baptiste 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 ...
.

Millet was assigned the task of restoring the
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a former royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the department of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the '' Musée d'Archéologie nationale'' (Nationa ...
in 1855, and was told to remove all traces of the cells that the Ministry of War had installed when it was used as a prison between 1836 and 1855.
In 1857 he reported that all the partitions forming the cells and dungeons had been demolished and the rest of the chateau had been cleaned.
He was given the job of restoring the château to hold the planned
National Museum of Antiquities.
He proposed two alternatives.
The first was to keep the château with all its additions, while consolidating the parts that were in poor condition or incomplete. The second, which was approved, was to remove the additions and restore it to its state under
Francis I of France
Francis I (; ; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once removed and father-in-law Louis&nbs ...
.
Millet worked closely with Count
Émilien de Nieuwerkerke
Émilien is a French masculine given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from ...
, superintendent of the École des Beaux-Arts, with the artillery officer
Jean-Baptiste Verchère de Reffye
Jean-Baptiste Verchère de Reffye (; 30 July 1821 – 6 December 1880) was a French artillery general of the 19th century, and superintendent of the works at Meudon. He was a former ordnance officer for Napoleon III. He also established the gun m ...
and with
Alexandre Bertrand
Alexandre Louis Joseph Bertrand (11 June 1820 – 1902) was a French archaeologist born in Rennes.
Life
He was the son of physician Alexandre Jacques François Bertrand (1795-1831) and elder brother to mathematician Joseph Louis François ...
, the first conservator of the museum.
Work began in 1862 with the destruction of the West pavilion.
The work progressed from the north-west angle of the château and advanced eastward around the building, restoring the lines of the ''
donjon
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word ''keep'', but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residenc ...
'' of
Charles V of France
Charles V (21 January 1338 – 16 September 1380), called the Wise (; ), was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380. His reign marked an early high point for France during the Hundred Years' War as his armies recovered much of the terri ...
that had been concealed by the additions of Louis XIV.
Stones for exterior repair were cut in the grounds of the chateau.
The interior was floored in oak, with walls painted with designs and decorations, and the windows were individually designed.
On 7 July 1874 Millet was given responsibility for the diocesan buildings of
Reims
Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French Departments of France, department of Marne (department), Marne, and the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, 12th most populous city in Fran ...
and for completing the
Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral
Clermont-Ferrand Cathedral, or the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Clermont-Ferrand (), is a Gothic architecture, Gothic cathedral and France, French Monument historique, national monument located in the city of Clermont-Ferrand ...
in place of Viollet-le-Duc, who had resigned.
In 1875 Millet replaced Labrouste as inspector-general of diocesan buildings.
He was also professor of construction at the École des Beaux-Arts.
Death and legacy
Eugène Millet died in
Cannes
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
on 24 February 1879.
He is buried in Saint Germain en Laye in a tomb designed by Viollet le Duc, who himself died later that year.
His nephew, the architect
Paul Selmersheim, paid tribute to Millet in a limited edition of Millet's ''Monographie de la restauration du château de Saint Germain en Laye''.
The monograph describes and reproduces 100 of Millet's drawings.
Millet left behind 318 very detailed drawings of the planned Château de Saint-Germain.
Auguste Lafollye took over responsibility on Millet's death, continuing until 1889.
The work was finally completed in 1907 by
Honoré Daumet
Pierre Jérôme Honoré Daumet (; 23 October 1826 – 12 December 1911) was a French architect.
Biography
A student at the Beaux-Arts de Paris under Guillaume-Abel Blouet, Guillaume Abel Blouet, Charles-Félix Saint-Père and Émile Gilbert, he w ...
, who placed an inscription above the entrance saying "This château was restored from 1862 to 1906 by Eugène Millet."
Restorations
An incomplete list of buildings with which Millet was involved:
*Eglise d'Ebreuil, Allier
*Clermont Ferrand (1874)
*Eglise de Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire
*Eglises de Souvigny, Allier
*Eglise Notre-Dame-des Menus; Boulogne (1860–65)
*Cathédrale de Moulins (1857)
*Cathédrale de Reims (1875–79)
*Saint Pierre de Montmartre (1872)
*Cathédrale Saint-Pierre; Saint Paul, Champagne – Ardennes
*Saint Hilaire, Saône et Loire (1851)
*Eglise de Paray le Monial (1856)
*Saint-Fiacre; Fontenailles
*Château de Saint Germain en Laye, Yvelines (1859–79)
*Pavillon de la Muette, Saint Germain en Laye, Yvelines (1862)
*Sainte Chapelle, Saint Germain en Laye, Yvelines
*Eglise de Souvigny, Allier
*Eglise Paroissiale Saint-Etienne, Mareil-Marly. Yvelines (1872–79)
*Eglise Saint Nicolas, Maisons-lafitte, Yvelines (1868–79)
Publications
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Notes
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Millet, Eugene Louis
1819 births
1879 deaths
Architects from Paris
19th-century French architects
Members of the Académie d'architecture