Marc-Antoine Laugier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Marc-Antoine (Abbe) Laugier (September 26, 1713, Manosque, Provence - April 7, 1769, Paris) was a Jesuit priest and author.
Laugier is most well known for his Essay on Architecture published in 1753. In 1755 he published the second edition with a famous, often referred to, illustration of a primitive hut. His approach is to discuss some well-known several architectural ideas he describes as 'faults'. These 'faults' include commentary on columns, the entablature, and on pediments.
The faults he lists for columns include: "Being engaged in the wall", the use of pilasters, incorrect entasis (swelling of the column), and setting columns on pedestals. He believes the first fault mentioned detracts from the overall beauty and aesthetic nature of columns and states that columns should be free. He goes on to assert that the use of pilasters should strictly be frowned upon especially since nearly in every case columns could be used instead. The third fault is pretty self-explanatory, and the last he believes is more of an unintelligible design. Bull resting columns on pedastals, he says, is like adding a second set of legs beneath the first pair.
The "Essai sur Architecture" includes his thoughts on includes several other topics, ranging from solidity, the different orders, and how to construct different buildings.
