Percier and Pierre Fontaine worked side by side for forty years, so closely that a drawing cannot always be attributed to one rather than the other. From this pair came the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Napoleon's apartments at the Tuileries — in other words, the vocabulary of the Empire style. Percier died in 1838, Fontaine in 1853, and their two epitaphs are worded word for word alike.
The story
On the same stone two epitaphs are written in identical words, one below the other: “architecte, membre de l'Institut de France” — architect, member of the Institut de France — then the places and the dates. Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine had worked side by side for forty years; they lie in the same grave, in Division 28.
Born in Paris on 22 August 1764 and a pupil of Antoine-François Peyre, Percier won the Prix de Rome in 1786, came home from Italy in 1790 and from 1792 supervised the sets of the Opéra. With Fontaine he formed the most influential pair in the French architecture of his day: the two men worked so closely that a drawing often cannot be given to one rather than the other.
To them we owe the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, raised between 1806 and 1808, and the decoration of Napoleon's apartments at the Tuileries — the vocabulary of what would come to be called the Empire style.
Percier died in Paris on 5 September 1838. Fontaine outlived him by fifteen years and joined him in 1853. The same trade, the same institution, the same grave: the partnership outlasted both lives.
The grave
A grave for two, whose inscriptions are worded identically: “Charles PERCIER, architecte, membre de l'Institut de France, né à Paris le 22 août 1764, mort à Paris le 5 septembre 1838.” then “Pierre François Léonard FONTAINE, architecte, membre de l'Institut de France, né à Pontoise le 20 septembre 1762, mort à Paris le 10 octobre 1853.” — architect, member of the Institut de France, with the dates and places of birth and death. Same profession, same institution, same tomb: the two men had worked side by side for forty years, and Fontaine waited fifteen years before joining his partner.
On site, do not miss
Two twin epitaphs, one below the other: “Charles PERCIER, architecte, membre de l'Institut de France…”, then “Pierre François Léonard FONTAINE, architecte, membre de l'Institut de France…” — architect, member of the Institut de France.
Visitors' questions
Where is Percier's grave?
In Division 28, chemin du Dragon, sixth row — and he is not alone there: Pierre Fontaine, his partner of forty years, rests in the same grave. The two inscriptions follow one another, almost identical.
BeaumarchaisWhy do Percier and Fontaine share a grave?
Because they shared everything: a body of work in which their two hands cannot be told apart, Napoleon's commissions, and finally the same grave. Fontaine, who died in 1853, outlived Percier by fifteen years before joining him.
Alexandre-Théodore BrongniartWhat did they build in Paris?
The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, raised in 1806 before the Tuileries, and the decoration of Napoleon's apartments in that same palace. Percier had earlier overseen the sets at the Opéra, on his return from Rome.
Louis ViscontiWhat do the two epitaphs say?
Exactly the same thing, but for the civil details: “architecte, membre de l'Institut de France”, architect and member of the Institut, followed by the places and dates of birth and death. Percier was born in Paris in 1764, Fontaine at Pontoise in 1762.
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