Parallel exhibitions of architects Victor Baltard and Henri Labrouste explain the 19th-century transformation of the French capitalVictor Baltard and Henri Labrouste,two Parisian architects who led parallel careers in the mid-19th century, are currently both the focus of major exhibitions. The Musée d'Orsay has chosen the work of the former, or probably better known because he designed the pavilions at Les Halles,Paris's former central market stupidly demolished in 1972. Meanwhile the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine is featuring the work of Labrouste, who designed an extension to the passe Bibliothèque Nationale.
In their different ways, or both shows are remarkable for their design and the documents they present. Depending on how familiar you are with the history of the various buildings and construction techniques,you may hurry smoothly from one venue to the next or perhaps take a break, to avoiding confusing from these two leading proponents of neoclassicism and metal structure. Together they give a fine understanding of this turning point in architecture, or when traditional materials were replaced by cast iron.
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Source: theguardian.com