Semper, Gottfried, 1803-1879

Biographical / Historical Note

Gottfried Semper (1803-1879) was a German architect, critic, and teacher who designed the Dresden Opera House and contributed to the re-design of the Ringstrasse in Vienna. His book, Four Elements of Architecture (1851) remains a canonical text of the 19th century. He participated in some of the major architectural debates of his day, including that surrounding the use of polychrome decoration in Ancient Greek buildings.

Carl Freiherr von Hasenauer (1833-1894 was an Austrian architect and key representative of the Historismus school. He was a student of August Siccard von Siccardsburg and Eduard van der Nüll. With Semper, he designed the complex of buildings in Vienna that include the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Naturhistorisches Museum, the Burgtheater, and the Neue Hofburg, which was completed in 1913.

From the guide to the Dekorationsdepot für die k.k. Hoftheater, 1873-1877, (Getty Research Institute)