Chiaveri, Gaetano

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Chiaveri, Gaetano (1689–1770). Rome-born architect who worked mostly in St Petersburg (1717–27—where he assisted Trezzini) and in Warsaw and Dresden (c.1737–48). His Katholische Hofkirche (RC Court Church) in Dresden (1737–53) was built as a foil to Bähr's Lutheran Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), and is one of the most elegant and accomplished late-Baroque masterpieces in all Europe (restored after severe war-damage), with a beautiful tower, and elevations influenced by the Royal Chapel at Versailles. Chiaveri also prepared plans for the Vistula frontage of the Royal Palace in Warsaw (1740), and for another Royal Palace (late 1740s) in Dresden, which was not built. Both schemes had a rare refinement of Baroque detail. He published Ornamenti Diversi di Porte e Finestre (Various Ornaments for Doors and Windows—1743–4), influenced by works of Bernini, Borromini, and Carlo Fontana.

Bibliography

Chiaveri (1743–4);
E. Hempel (1955, 1965)

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