Design for Grand Salon, Ground Floor, Hôtel Candamo

Art Historical Context

Step into the opulent world of 19th-century Parisian interiors with this exquisite design by architects Jules-Edmond- Lachaise and Eugène-Pierre Gourdet. Created around 1873, *Design for Grand Salon, Floor, Hôtel Candamo captures the grandeur of a luxurious reception room in a private hôtel particulier—a grand townhouse favored by the elite. The drawing showcases symmetrical architecture, ornate moldings, and elegant furnishings, evoking the lavish salons where high society gathered for conversation, music, and display. Dating to France's Second Empire era (1852–1870) and its immediate aftermath, this piece reflects the era's passion for historicism and splendor, influenced by the transformative Haussmann renovations of Paris. Hôtel Candamo, likely named for a wealthy patron, exemplifies how architecture blended Renaissance revival with modern comfort, emphasizing light-filled spaces and rich decorative schemes to impress visitors. Rendered in pen and black ink with watercolor on a modest 8⅜ × 10⅞ inches (21.3 × 27.6 cm) sheet, the work highlights the precision of ink lines for structural details alongside watercolor's subtle tones to suggest marble, gilding, and fabrics. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art via the Dodge Fund in 1967, it offers a window into the collaborative artistry of architectural drafting, preserving the vision behind vanished aristocratic homes.

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...