The scientific studies of an architect-historian: “L’Architecture normande…” by Victor Ruprich-Robert

"L’Architecture normande aux XIe et XIIe siècles en Normandie et en Angleterre", published in two volumes (text and atlas) between 1885 and 1889, constitutes a well-known reference work on Norman architecture. The author, Victor Ruprich-Robert (1820-1887), is one of the most important representatives of the architect-historian as scientist. On one hand, the echo of Viollet-Le-Duc’s method is strongly evident, particularly in the attempt to clarify the raison d’être of things focusing on the constructive analysis of the buildings. The iconography proves this through some remarkable images representing "front views, or portions of buildings ... in order to show the constructive and decorative system adopted, instead of being inspired from picturesque examples". On the other hand, Ruprich-Robert’s approach aims to be more scientific in comparison to that of his Master. His work is enriched not only by documentary notes and bibliographical references but also by fine illustrations resulting from architectural surveys. These are drawn with great care and precision in order to lead to a specific analysis of the buildings, of the construction materials, of the laws of static balance, and of the "graphic" aspects. The variety of iconographical choices confirms this approach without predilection, turned to the scientific evolution of the history of architecture. Indeed, Ruprich-Robert’s images go from minute detail to immense scale, from perspective to geometrical drawings, and from diagrammatic images to realistic reproductions he copied from photography. The normal adoption of a common scale, the close relationship between writing and stamps, the comparative approach, and the scrupulous construction analysis of buildings’ elements confirm that, at the end of the nineteenth century, the book of architecture could become a work of science in both its written words and in its illustration