[caption id="attachment_78444" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Eugène Viollet-le-Duc Gets The Google Doodle Treatment[/caption]Eugène Viollet-le-Duc celebrated with Google Doodle

Google Inc. has earned their mark in popular society as illustrated by their ability to make the news by changing the doodle image on their splash page. Today's splash page celebrates the birthday of French Gothic architectural revivalist Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. Viollet-le-Duc was born on January 27, 1814 and died in 1879. During his life, he earned a name for himself by conducting what became termed "interpretive" restorations of historic edifices from the medieval period of France.

The native Parisian had a zest for life and took part in the July Revolution of 1830 IE Second French Revolution. His use of interpretation in the restoration of buildings drew criticism at the time. Understandably so, the line between restoration and reinterpretation is a very fine line. However, with the passage of time, he became renowned for his ability to extend his creativity into historical fact.

He was also known for his military prowess which he gained from his service during the 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian War. He was so convinced that a castle wall was the best defense for France that he designed how an imaginary wall could be created by the military. It formed the basis of the Maginot Line which protected France until the outset of World War II.

[caption id="attachment_78442" align="aligncenter" width="338"] Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (27 January 1814 – 17 September 1879) was a French architect and theorist, famous for his interpretive "restorations" of medieval buildings. Born in Paris, he was a major Gothic Revival architect.
His works were largely restorative and few of his independent building designs were ever realised. Strongly contrary to the prevailing Beaux-Arts architectural trend of his time, much of his design work was largely derided by his contemporaries. He was the architect hired to design the internal structure of the Statue of Liberty, but died before the project was completed.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_78443" align="aligncenter" width="800"] One of the many grotesques on the face of the Notre Dame in Paris added during Viollet-le-Duc's restoration. This one is commonly termed Le Stryge (the strix.)[/caption]

On The Web:
Eugene Viollet-le-Duc celebrated with Google Doodle
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/google-doodle/10598578/Eugene-Viollet-le-Duc-celebrated-with-Google-Doodle.html