Coupe et Elévation du Château ci-devant de Mr. Caumartin, construit près la Ville de Moret et la Riviere de Seine, ce déssin à été communiqué par sobre, Archte
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-552-63
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Coupe et Élévation Château ci-devant de. Caumartin** (1812) is a precise architectural print by French artist and engraver Jean-Charles Krafft1764–1833). It depicts the section (*coupe*) and elevationélévation*) views of a château once owned by Mr. Caartin, situated near the town of More-sur-Loing along the Seine River. Communicated by an architect named "sobre," this exemplifies Krafft's expertise in documenting France's architectural heritage during the Napoleonic era, when such detailed renderings preserved designs amid political upheaval. Created as a print in 1812, it reflects the neoclassical precision favored in early 19th-century France, where prints served as vital tools for architects, builders, and scholars to study and replicate grand structures. Krafft, known for his meticulous engravings of châteaux and public buildings, captured the château's proportions and ornamentation with technical accuracy, highlighting the era's emphasis on symmetry and classical revival. Today, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (purchased by the Advisory Council), this piece underscores the international appeal of French architectural documentation. It invites visitors to appreciate how prints bridged artistry and engineering, offering a window into a vanished aristocratic world reshaped by revolution and empire. (198 words)