Persius, Friedrich Ludwig

Persius, Friedrich Ludwig (1803–45). Prussian architect from Potsdam. The most able of Schinkel's pupils, he supervised the building of the master's Schloss Glienicke on the Havel (1824–6) and the exquisite Charlottenhof, Potsdam (1826–7). He built the Römische Bäder (Roman Baths), Potsdam (1834–5), to Schinkel's designs. His master-pieces were the Rundbogenstil Early Christian-basilica-style Friedenskirche (Church of Peace), Potsdam (1845–87), and the Heilandskirche (Church of the Redeemer) Sakrow (1841–4—completed by Stüler and others), but he also designed a number of charming villas finished in stucco and based on a rural Tuscan vernacular style pioneered by Schinkel, but probably partly derived from Papworth. He was responsible for the exotic orientalizing Steam-Engine House, Sanssouci, Potsdam, and he constructed the dome and turrets of Schinkel's Nikolaikirche (Church of St Nicholas), Potsdam (1843–50). Under King Friedrich Wilhelm IV (reigned 1840–61), with Lenné, he co-ordinated the transformation of the landscape in the vicinity of the Havel, Potsdam, into one of the most enchanting creations of the first half of C19.

Bibliography

Architects' Journal, xviii (1928), 77–87, 113–20;
Builder - Sturgis et al. (1977);
Bohle-Heintzenberg & and Hamm (1993);
Börsch-Supan (1980);
R. Carter (1989);
Dehio (1961);
Giersberg & and Schendel (1982);
Persius (1843–9);
Poensgen (1930);
Jane Turner (1996);
Watkin & and Mellinghoff (1987)