Étienne-Louis Boullée - elevation of the Arc de Triomphe

Étienne-Louis Boullée (1728-1799) was a French architect and visionary theorist of the late 18th century. He is known for his highly imaginative designs that often pushed the boundaries of what was possible at the time, and for his influence on later architects and architectural movements. Boullée studied under Jacques-François Blondel and Jean-Laurent Le Geay, and later became a professor of architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He was also a member of the Académie royale d'architecture and the Académie des beaux-arts. Boullée's most famous works are his unbuilt designs, which were often grandiose and monumental in scale. His projects included a temple to Isaac Newton, a cenotaph for Sir Isaac Newton, and a vast library for Louis XVI. He also designed several private houses and public buildings, including the Hôtel Alexandre and the Hôtel de Brunoy in Paris. Boullée was a proponent of the Neoclassical style, and his designs often incorporated elements of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. He was also interested in the use of light and shadow in architectural design, and experimented with different forms of illumination in his projects. Despite the fact that many of Boullée's designs were never realized, his work had a significant impact on later architects and architectural movements. His emphasis on monumental scale and the use of light and shadow influenced the work of the Romantics, and his designs for grand public spaces were an important precursor to the work of the Modernists.