Etienne Bentz
Etienne Bentz (1868-1942) was a DPLG architect active from 1900 to 1941 in France, mainly in Marseille, but also in Paris (Exposition universelle de 1900) and in the Var (Le Lavandou, Sainte-Maxime).
Etienne Bentz was born in Marseille into a modest family: his father, a mechanic, was part of his career with the Paris-Lyon-Méditerranée Railway Company.
Nothing predestined Etienne Bentz to architecture and yet, as soon as he entered the architecture class of the Ecole des Beaux-arts de Marseille in 1887, he distinguished himself with five prizes and one accessit. He studied there with Charles Héraud (born 1859) who was one of the few architects to have introduced the Art Nouveau style in Marseille. Encouraged by his teacher, Etienne Bentz presented the entrance examination for the architecture section of the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-arts de Paris three times before being admitted in March 1890. He then left Marseille to join the prestigious school where he studied for eight years, between 1890 and 1898, in the Guadet-Paulin workshop. His parents could not meet the requirements of his studies in Paris, so he was granted grants but, despite this, he was forced to work frequently outside the school. This did not prevent him from obtaining honourable results since during his studies, he distinguished himself by obtaining two Medals and the Third Prize at the Chenavard Competition. He graduated as an architect in June 1900.
His professional life began the same year with a prestigious commission which helped to make him known. He signed several pavilions for the Paris World Exhibition in 1900: those of Arles and Poitou as well as the tea room of that of the city of Marseille. Throughout his career, Etienne Bentz cultivated his talent as a decorator and established himself as a specialist in this type of architecture: In Marseilles, he was one of the main architects of the Colonial Exhibitions of 1906 and 1922 and the International Fair of 1932. In 1906, he built, among other things, the pavilion of the daily Le Petit Marseillais (1906), the Grand Palais (in collaboration with architects Léonce Muller and Gaston Rambert and engineer Edouard Allar; Etienne Bentz signs the façade more specifically; Edouard Allar, engineer of the Levallois-Perret Construction Company, designs the metal structure) the fountain of the Grand Palais (1906, in collaboration with the sculptor Francis André). In 1922, Etienne Bentz was appointed deputy chief architect to Léonce Muller, working with him on the overall plan of the exhibition. In 1932, he signed the general plan, designed the Palais des Congrès and the Entrance to the Fair.
At the same time as his involvement in these major events, Etienne Bentz established himself among the Marseilles bourgeoisie for whom he built residential buildings and luxury villas, mainly in the southern districts of the city. Pragmatic, attentive to aesthetic developments and eager to satisfy his clientele, Etienne Bentz handles different styles with talent. Gradually, he divests himself of the eclecticism that characterizes his achievements at the beginning of the century (villa Les Tuileries, 1913, square Monticelli, Marseille) in favor of a refined writing more in accordance with the aesthetics of the Modern Movement (apartment building, 1930, rue Paradis, Marseille). He also did not hesitate to draw on the vernacular repertoire to develop a neo-regional style that he mainly used in resort programs.
During the 1930s, Etienne Bentz helped shape the face of new seaside resorts on the French Riviera, such as Le Lavandou and Sainte-Maxime. In collaboration with the architect Gaston Chauvin, he built a number of villas, apartment buildings and equipment, including schools. A renowned practitioner, Etienne Bentz also taught decorative arts at the Ecole régionale d'architecture from 1906 to 1939.
The agency founded by Etienne Bentz in Marseille continued to operate until 1960, when it was run after his death by his son, Philippe Bentz, an architect with whom he has been a partner since 1935. His name is also associated with that of Ivan Bentz (born in 1898, DPLG architect active in Marseille from 1941 to 1956, partner of André Devin) who is none other than his nephew.
Sources
Archives
- AN AJ 52 387, Fonds de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Paris (Individual student files, Architecture section, Series from 1 January 1896 to 31 December 1900, from Bacot to Bernard-Bezault), Dossier individuel d'Etienne Bentz.
- Centre d'archives d'architecture du XXe siècle, Fonds Hennebique, Dossiers 064 Ifa 1386/3, 064 Ifa 2171/11, 064 Ifa 2324/22, 064 Ifa 2296/21.
- AD 13 4 T 11, Cultural Affairs Marseille. Fine Arts Education (1903-1939).
Bibliography
- Culot Maurice (eds.), DROCOURT Daniel (eds.), Marseille. La passion des contrastes, Paris/ Liège, IFA/ Editions Mardaga, 1991, p.417.
- Marantz-Jaen Eléonore, Architects in practice at Marseille 1927-1979, typed document, 2003.
- Noet Laurent (dir.), Dictionnaire des peintres et sculpteurs de Provence Alpes Corse, Marseille, Edition Jeanne Laffitte.
- Ricateau-Marciano Florence, Formation et carrière des élèves de la classe d'architecture de l'Ecole des Beaux-arts de Marseille 1813-1914, PhD thesis under the direction of Claude Massu, Université de Provence, 1999, volume 2, appendix 14, p. 445.
Printed sources
- Anonymous, “L'oeuvre des architectes marseillais: Etienne Bentz,” Sud Magazine, no. 80, 5th year, pp. 43-44.
- Anonymous, “L'oeuvre des architectes marseillais: Etienne Bentz”, Sud Magazine, n°83, 5th year, 1-16 July 1932, p.37.
- Anonymous, “Petite maison à la Valentine, style provençal (Marseille)”, Petites maisons pittoresques, Paris, Ducher, n.d., 3rd vol. , third series, pl.8-pl.9.
- Anonymous, “Palais de l'Exportation, Exposition coloniale de Marseille 1906”, L'Architecte, p.72, pl.XLIX and L.
- Collectif, L'Exposition nationale coloniale de Marseille 1922, Marseille, Commissariat général de l'exposition, 1923, p.19.
- Entreprise Julien frères, Entreprise Julien frères, Marseille. Major achievements since the beginning of the twentieth century, Marseille, Imprimerie méridionale, s.d. circa 1938.
- Himmer Henri, “Le Palais des Congrès de la ville de Marseille”, Sud Magazine, no. 86, 5th year, 1 October 1932, p.12-p.13.
- Masson Paul (eds.), Les Bouches-du-Rhône: encyclopedia départementale. Volume 6: intellectual life, Marseille, City of Marseille/Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 1914, pp.499-500.
Databases
- Mérimée Base, Ministry of Culture.
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