Odo of Metz

French architect

Inside view of the Palatine Chapel, by Odo of Metz Oratory of Germigny-des-Prés, by Odo of Metz

Odo of Metz[a] or Eudes of Metz(fl. c. 806 – c. 811) was a Frankish[1] architect, considered of Armenian origin,[2][3] who lived in the Carolingian Empire during Charlemagne's reign.[4]

Nothing is known of Odo's life, training or education. It is possible he was of Armenian origin,[3][5][6] but the tradition stems from a perceived association between the innovative style of his works and early Armenian churches; there is no concrete evidence of his origins.[7]

## Historiography

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The sole record of Odo's existence and work comes from a mention of him in an inscription commemorating Charlemagne, the text of which survives in the emperor's Vita ('life').[8] It says nothing of Odo's origin.

While there is no documentary evidence of Odo's background, his reputation as Armenian arose from a perception that the oratory he built at Germigny-des-Prés and the Armenian mother church, Etchmiadzin Cathedral, come from the same architectural tradition. There was already such a folk tradition present among Armenians in France from the 19th century,[9] possibly influenced by this perception. The art historians Josef Strzygowski and Soviet-Armenian Alexander Sahinian strengthened the belief with their theories of the Armenian roots of Odo's architecture. Strzygowski's and Sahinian's theories were not widely accepted by scholarly consensus.[10][citation needed]

A report was made during the 1960s renovations of Aachen Cathedral, that a researcher had unearthed an inscribed stone, with Odo said to be mentioned in it as coming "from the region of Mount Ararat", (i.e. Armenia). No authenticated record of this inscription exists, and the stone itself cannot be traced.[11]

## Style and works

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Odo's Carolingian architecture with polygonal-based domes and elaborate elevations are reminiscent of late Roman architecture with Byzantine style. In particular, his design for the Palatine Chapel, Aachen, was possibly modelled on the Basilica of San Vitale of Ravenna.[1] It is unknown whether he saw these buildings himself, or only drawings of them.

Odo may have had access to the extensive technical knowledge embodied in the classical work De architectura through his connection to the royal court. The text of Vitruvius' treatise is known to have been copied and preserved in Charlemagne's court scriptorium, and it is through these Carolingian Renaissance-era manuscripts that the work survived, widely rediscovered in the Middle Ages, and down to modern times.[12][13]

Eudes of Metz is credited as the architect of:

* Charlemagne's Palace of Aachen with the Palatine Chapel (792–805), in Aachen[14]
* the church of Germigny-des-Prés in 806–811[3]

## See also

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* Carolingian art
* Metz

## Notes

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1. ^ The name "Odo" is also rendered Oto, Otto, Oton or Odon.[6][15]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Rybczynski, Witold (2022). The story of architecture. New Haven (US): Yale University Press. pp. 60–64\. ISBN 9780300246063. Retrieved 18 September 2024.60-64&rft.pub=Yale+University+Press&rft.date=2022&rft.isbn=9780300246063&rft.aulast=Rybczynski&rft.aufirst=Witold&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=fuGUEAAAQBAJ&pg;=PA60&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
2. ^ Dézélus, Robert (1989). L'art de Transcaucasie (in French). Vienna: Edition Méchithariste. p. 274\. "L'arménien Eudes de Metz construisit la chapelle palatine d'Aix et l'église de Germigny-des-Prés."
3. ^ a b c Ching, Francis D. K.; Jarzombek, Mark M.; Prakash, Vikramaditya (2010). A Global History of Architecture. Hoboken, New Jersey (US): John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p. 317\. ISBN 9781118007396. "In 806–811, the Armenian architect, Oton Matsaetsi, built the church of Germigny-des-Prés in France."
4. ^ Naredi-Rainer, Paul von (2013). "Eine denkmalpflegerische Intervention von außen: Josef Strzygowski und der Aachener Dom". In Marjan Cescutti; Ursula Stampfer; Helmut Stampfer; Josef Riedmann (eds.). Erhalten und erforschen: Festschrift für Helmut Stampfer [Preserve and research: Festschrift for Helmut Stampfer] (in German). Innsbruck: Wagner. pp. 439–451\. ISBN 978-3-7030-0820-7.439-451&rft.pub=Wagner&rft.date=2013&rft.isbn=978-3-7030-0820-7&rft.aulast=Naredi-Rainer&rft.aufirst=Paul+von&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
5. ^

* Dézélus, Robert (1989). L'art de Transcaucasie (in French). Vienna: Edition Méchithariste. p. 274\. "L'arménien Eudes de Metz construisit la chapelle palatine d'Aix et l'église de Germigny-des-Prés."
* Gilbert, Edward (1964), "Deerhurst Priory Church and its First String Course", Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol. 83, Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, pp. 49–69, p. 69: "Eudes de Metz, the architect is said to have been Armenian."49-69&rft.date=1964&rft.aulast=Gilbert&rft.aufirst=Edward&rft_id=https://www.bgas.org.uk/browse-transactions-contents?vnum=83&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">

6. ^ a b Louis, Victor E.; Louis, Jennifer M. (1976). "Erevan". The complete guide to the Soviet Union. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 100–109\. ISBN 978-0-312-15753-1. (1980 reprint). p. 102: "Armenian stonemasons had long been known far and wide. In 806–811 Oton Matsaetsi built St. Germain-des Pres and the belfry of Charlemagne's palace in Aachen. Armenian influence spread further ..."100-109&rft.pub=St.+Martin's+Press&rft.date=1976&rft.isbn=978-0-312-15753-1&rft.aulast=Louis&rft.aufirst=Victor+E.&rft.au=Louis,+Jennifer+M.&rft_id=https://archive.org/details/completeguidetos00loui/page/102/mode/2up&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
7. ^ Keuerleber, Gisela (25 January 2014). "Geschichte: 'Aachen war das neue, zweite Rom'". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German).
8. ^ Binding, Günther (1993). "Odo von Metz". Lexikon des Mittelalters [Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages] (in German). Vol. 6: Lukasbilder bis Plantagenêt. München: Artemis-Verl. p. 1360\. ISBN 3-7608-8906-9.
* Citing: Jaffé, Phillipe, ed. (1867). Bibliotheca rerum Germanicarum (in Latin). Vol. 4, Monumenta Carolina. p. 536, note 1. "Insignem hanc dignitatis aulam Karolus caesar magnus instituit; egregius Odo magister explevit; Metensi fotus in urbe quiescit"
9. ^ Sheffer, Gabriel (2005). "A Profile of Ethno-national Diasporas". In Ina B. McCabe; Gelina Harlaftis; Iōanna Pepelasē Minoglou (eds.). Diaspora entrepreneurial networks: Four centuries of history. Berg. pp. 359–370\. ISBN 978-1-85973-880-1.359-370&rft.pub=Berg&rft.date=2005&rft.isbn=978-1-85973-880-1&rft.aulast=Sheffer&rft.aufirst=Gabriel&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
10. ^ Elsner, Jaś (June 2002). "The Birth of Late Antiquity: Riegl and Strzygowski in 1901". Art History. 25 (3): 358–379\. doi:10.1111/1467-8365.00326. ISSN 0141-6790.358-379&rft.date=2002-06&rft_id=info:doi/10.1111/1467-8365.00326&rft.issn=0141-6790&rft.aulast=Elsner&rft.aufirst=Jaś&rft_id=https://www.academia.edu/5403505&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
11. ^ Yevadian, Maxime K. (1 January 2020). "Ermittlung über die Widmungsinschrift von Dombaumeister Odo im Aachener Dom" [Investigation into the dedication inscription of cathedral master builder Odo in Aachen Cathedral]. Schriftenreihe Karlsverein-Dombauverein (in German). 22. Karlsverein-Dombauverein [Charlemagne Association]: 63–73.63-73&rft.date=2020-01-01&rft.aulast=Yevadian&rft.aufirst=Maxime+K.&rft_id=https://www.academia.edu/42833763&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
12. ^ Reynolds, Leighton D.; Wilson, N. G., eds. (1983). Texts and transmission: A survey of the Latin classics. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 441–442\. ISBN 9780198144564. "Its splendid calligraphy, and its dominant influence on the later tradition suggest that it might well have been written at the palace scriptorium of Charlemagne [at Aachen]. This is supported by the fact that the first two men to show any knowledge of Vitruvius after the Dark Ages are Alcuin, in a letter written to Charlemagne between 801 and 804, and Einhard, who in addition to his close association with the court, had a practical interest in building."441-442&rft.pub=Clarendon+Press&rft.date=1983&rft.isbn=9780198144564&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
13. ^ Rowland, Ingrid (18 March 2024). "Vitruvius from Manuscript to Print". In Ingrid Rowland; Sinclair W. Bell (eds.). Brill's Companion to the Reception of Vitruvius. Leiden: Brill NV. pp. 7–33\. doi:10.1163/9789004688704_003. ISBN 9789004688704.7-33&rft.pub=Brill+NV&rft.date=2024-03-18&rft_id=info:doi/10.1163/9789004688704_003&rft.isbn=9789004688704&rft.aulast=Rowland&rft.aufirst=Ingrid&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Odo+of+Metz" class="Z3988">
14. ^ Conant, Kenneth J. (1994) [1959]. Carolingian and Romanesque Architecture (4th ed.). New Haven, CT (US): Yale University Press. p. 47. ISBN 0-3000-5298-7. LCCN 78149801.
15. ^

* "Palatine Chapel, Aachen". Religiana. Future for Religious Heritage. n.d. "The Palatine Chapel of Aachen was built between 792 and 804 by Odon of Metz"
* Janberg, Nicolas (ed.). "Eudes of Metz". Structurae.

## Further reading

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* Lemonde, Jean-Paul (November 2009), La Chapelle palatine, Aix-la-Chapelle: Le grand œuvre de Eudes de Metz (PDF) (in French)
* Avetisyan, Vigen (27 June 2023). "The Chapel of Charlemagne: Creation of the Armenian Architect Odo of Metz". Art-A-Tsolum. (in English).

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*[fl.]: floruit ('flourished' – known to have been active at a particular time or during a particular period)
*[c.]: circa