Design for Ceiling of Grand Salon, Hôtel Hope

Art Historical Context

This exquisite drawing, titled *Design for Ceiling of Grand Salon, Hôtel Hope* (1867), was created by French architects Jules-EdmondCharles Lachaise andène-Pierre Gourdet. captures their vision for the ornate ceiling of the grand salon in the luxurious Hôtel Hope, a Parisian residence emblematic of Second Empire opulence under Napoleon III. Such hôtels particuliers were social hubs for the elite, where lavish interiors showcased wealth and refined taste. Rendered in pen and black ink with vibrant gouache, the 9 15/16 x 13 3/16-inch sheet (25.2 x 33.5 cm) exemplifies 19th-century architectural drafting techniques. Precise ink lines delineate intricate motifs—likely floral, sculptural, or allegorical elements typical of the era—while gouache provides luminous color and three-dimensional depth, simulating the final painted ceiling's grandeur. This medium allowed designers to pitch elaborate schemes to wealthy patrons with striking realism. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Dodge Fund in 1967), the work highlights the collaborative artistry behind France's Gilded Age interiors. It invites us to imagine the flickering candlelight dancing across such a ceiling, evoking the splendor of 1860s Parisian high society.

About the Artist

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise|Eugène-Pierre Gourdet · 1897–1897

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise, born Jules Lachaise on September 2, 1836, in Paris, emerged as a prominent French painter and draughtsman specializing in lavish interior decorations during the Second Empire and beyond. Little is known about his early life and formal training, though he married Berthe Gourdet in 1866, forging a close professional partnership with her brother, the decorator Eugène-Pi...