Auguste de Montferrand
| Auguste de Montferrand | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Henri Louis Auguste Leger Ricard dit de Montferrand January 23, 1786 Chaillot, France |
| Died | July 10, 1858 (aged 72) St. Petersburg, Russian Empire |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse(s) | First wife, dates unknown Elise Debonniere (m. 1835–58) |
| Awards | Officier, Légion d'honneur |
| Buildings |
Saint Isaac's Cathedral Alexander Column Monument to Nicholas I |
| Projects | Nizhny Novgorod Fair |
Auguste de Montferrand (January 23, 1786 – July 10, 1858) was a French Neoclassical architect who worked primarily in Russia. His two best known works are the Saint Isaac's Cathedral and the Alexander Column in St. Petersburg.
Montferrand was born in the parish of Chaillot, France (now the 16th arrondissement of Paris). He was styled at birth Henri Louis Auguste Leger Ricard dit de Montferrand; the aristocratic de was probably his parents' invention. Decades later, Montferrand admitted in his will that, although his father owned Montferrand estate, the title is disputable "and if there is any doubt, I can accept other names, first of all Ricard, after my father". Montferrand's father, Benois Ricard, was a horse trainer who died when Montferrand was a child; his grandfather, Leger Ricard, was a bridge engineer. Montferrand's mother, Marie Francoise Louise Fistioni, remarried to Antoine de Commarieux, who is credited with educating Montferrand.
In 1806, Montferrand joined the former Académie d'architecture, joining class of Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine. Soon, he was summoned to Napoleon's Army, and served a brief tour of duty in Italy.
Montferrand married Julia Mornais in 1812. The next year, he was again drafted into the Army when Allied troops were approaching Dresden. Montferrand served with distinction in Thuringia, and was awarded the Légion d'honneur for valor in the Battle of Hanau.
When hostilities ended, new construction in defeated France was out of the question. Montferrand worked on a few unimportant jobs, spending three years performing basic draftsmanship and seeking opportunities overseas. In 1815, he was granted an audience with Alexander I of Russia, and presented the Tsar with an album of his works.
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