Hans-Georg Tersling
Encyclopedia
Hans-Georg Tersling was a Danish
architect who lived and worked for most of his life on the French Riviera
where he became one of the most significant and productive architects of the Belle Époque
. His work mainly consisted of designing mondain hotels, villas and mansions for members of the French and European aristocracy and other elite who resided in the area
His style was the Neoclassical
Louis Seize style
and he drew on inspiration from the Italian Renaissance
.
north of Copenhagen
, Denmark. His farther died when he was three. He trained as a carpenter before attending the architecture school of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, receiving his diploma in 1879.
After his graduation, Tersling traveled to France where he was employed by Charles Garnier
to work on the Monte Carlo Casino
where he completed the Salle Schemitt. After this assignment he lived for a while in Paris before ultimately settling in Menton
in the south of France.
For Eugénie de Montijo
, the last Empress consort of the French, he built the Villa Cyrnos (ancient Greek name of Corsica
) at Cape Martin
between Menton and Nice
, where she lived in retirement. The villa impressed the Russian Empress Consort who commissioned him to build a Russian Orthodox
church in Menton for the Russian colony on the coast.
Among his other clients were Elisabeth of Bavaria
and the French politician Victor Masséna whose villa in Nice today serves as the municipal Musée Masséna.
In 1905, Tersling won an architectural competition for the design of the Hotel Hériot in Paris.
With the outbreak of World War I
, Tersling's career came to a sudden end. His many wealthy clients disappeared and left him with many outstanding receivables. He died in 1920 almost without means.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
architect who lived and worked for most of his life on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
where he became one of the most significant and productive architects of the Belle Époque
Belle Époque
The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the era of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, it was a period characterised by optimism and new technological and medical...
. His work mainly consisted of designing mondain hotels, villas and mansions for members of the French and European aristocracy and other elite who resided in the area
His style was the Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
Louis Seize style
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
and he drew on inspiration from the Italian Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
.
Biography
Hans-Georg Tersling was born on a farm outside the small town of KarleboKarlebo
Karlebo Kommune was until January 1, 2007 a municipality in Frederiksborg County on the east coast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark....
north of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark. His farther died when he was three. He trained as a carpenter before attending the architecture school of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, receiving his diploma in 1879.
After his graduation, Tersling traveled to France where he was employed by Charles Garnier
Charles Garnier (architect)
Charles Garnier was a French architect, perhaps best known as the architect of the Palais Garnier and the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.-Early life:...
to work on the Monte Carlo Casino
Monte Carlo Casino
The Monte Carlo Casino is a gambling and entertainment complex located in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It includes a casino, the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, and the office of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo....
where he completed the Salle Schemitt. After this assignment he lived for a while in Paris before ultimately settling in Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
in the south of France.
For Eugénie de Montijo
Eugénie de Montijo
Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick, 16th Countess of Teba and 15th Marquise of Ardales; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo , was the last Empress consort of the French from 1853 to 1871 as the wife of Napoleon III, Emperor of...
, the last Empress consort of the French, he built the Villa Cyrnos (ancient Greek name of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
) at Cape Martin
Cape Martin
Cape Martin, also known as Cap Martin, is a small town located on the French Riviera between Menton and Monaco.-References:*...
between Menton and Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, where she lived in retirement. The villa impressed the Russian Empress Consort who commissioned him to build a Russian Orthodox
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
church in Menton for the Russian colony on the coast.
Among his other clients were Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
and the French politician Victor Masséna whose villa in Nice today serves as the municipal Musée Masséna.
In 1905, Tersling won an architectural competition for the design of the Hotel Hériot in Paris.
With the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Tersling's career came to a sudden end. His many wealthy clients disappeared and left him with many outstanding receivables. He died in 1920 almost without means.
Selected works
- Hôtel Métropole, Monte CarloMonte CarloMonte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
(1888) - Grand hôtel du cap Martin (1890)
- Villa Cyrnos, Cynthia, et White au cap Martin (1892 )
- Villa Artheruse, Cape MartinCape MartinCape Martin, also known as Cap Martin, is a small town located on the French Riviera between Menton and Monaco.-References:*...
(1893) - Villa Hermitage-Malet, Cap-d'AilCap-d'AilCap-d'Ail , Italian: Capodaglio, is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It borders the district of La Colle in the Principality of Monaco....
(1895) - Palais Carnoles, Menton (1896)
- Hôtel Bristol, Beaulieu-sur-MerBeaulieu-sur-MerBeaulieu-sur-Mer , Italian: Belluogo, is a seaside village on the French Riviera between Nice and Monaco. It is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department and borders the communes of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Èze, and Villefranche-sur-Mer.-History:...
(1898) - Villa Masséna, NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
(1899) - Hôtel du golf, Sospel et l'église russe, Menton (1900)
- Villa La loggia, Villefranche-sur-MerVillefranche-sur-MerVillefranche-sur-Mer is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera.-Geography:...
(1900) - Villa Lairolle, Nice (1904)
- Hôtel Heriot, Paris (1905)
- Palais Viale, Menton (1906)
- Palais de l’Europe (current name), Menton (1908)
- Contribution à l’église du Sacré-Cœur, Menton (1911)
- Hôtel Impérial, Menton (1913)