Percier, Charles (1764–1838)

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in the courtyard of the Louvre, Paris. This triumphal arch was built between 1806 and 1808 by Napoleon I to commemorate his victories and the Grande Armée that had won them. This arch, and the more famous one in Place Charles de Gaulle, were modelled on the Arch of Constantine in Rome.

French architect and writer on architecture, born in Paris. He studied with Pierre François Léonard Fontaine (1762–1853) and won the Prix de Rome. He worked with Fontaine 1794–1814, creating the ‘Empire’ style in decoration exemplified by Empress Joséphine's château at Malmaison on which they worked from 1802 onwards. The Empress Joséphine's tented bedroom at Malmaison was completed in 1812. With Fontaine he founded the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris.

Percier and Fontaine became Napoleon's favourite architects. They carried out much restoration and refurbishment of royal châteaux, including Fontainebleau, Compiène, and Versailles, and designed the Arc du Carrousel in Paris (1806–7).

Their fame spread chiefly through their publications, for example Palais, maisons, etc à Rome/Palaces, houses, etc in Rome (1798) and Recueil de decorations intérieures/Collection of interior decorations (1801).