VISCONTI LOUIS: (1791-1853) Italian-born French Architect. Visconti designed many Parisian public ma

VISCONTI LOUIS: (1791-1853) Italian-born French Architect. Visconti designed many Parisian public ma

Marble for the Emperor’s tomb

VISCONTI LOUIS: (1791-1853) Italian-born French Architect. Visconti designed many Parisian public major buildings including the Pace Saint Sulpice, the Fontaine Moliere, and is most remembered and famed for designing the 1842 tomb of napoleon at Les Invalides. An excellent content A.L.S., Visconti, two pages, 8vo, n.p., 12th April 1843, to his marble supplier M. Henreaux, in French. At the time of the present letter Visconti is building Napoleon´s monumental tomb, stating in part `J´ai bien pensé à des marbres d´Italie, ce sont certes les plus beaux, mais il est arrété dans tous les rapports que l´on ne devra employer pour le M[onument] de l´Empereur que des marbres français ou des granits..´ (''I have well thought about Italian marbles, they are certainly the most beautiful, but it is stated in all the reports that we should use for the M[onument] of the Emperor only French marbles or granites..´ Visconti also comments that he has considered Corsica and that he has to receive samples, further referring to some granites he has rejected `.. the purplish granite is not rare enough nor has a severe enough tone.. there must be porphyry, isn´t it, or green granite; these are the tones that I would wish ..´ Visconti concludes requesting his correspondent´s detailed information. VG Visconti wanted to use red porphyry, stone used for the tombs of Roman Emperors, but at that time it was almost impossible to find it. The sarcophagus would finally be done with quartzite with a tone close to porphyry, but got approved the socle in green granite, from the Vosges.