Détails d’une Glaciere precedée d’un Temple Egyptien et surmontée d’un Kiosque le tout construit dans le Parc de Mr. Davelouis à Soisy sous Etiole par Dubois ainé Architecte, Eleve et 1er neveu du Feu Antoine Archte. des Monnoies de France
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-552-77
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This 1812 print by French artist Jean-Charles Krafft (1764-1833) depicts the intricate details of a unique garden structure: an icehouse fronted by an Egyptian temple and topped with a kiosk. According to the title, the ensemble was constructed in the park of Mr. Davelouis at Soisy sous Etiole by the architect Dubois aîné, a pupil and first nephew of the late Antoine, architect of the Mints of France. The artwork showcases the inventive spirit of early 19th-century French landscape design, where everyday functional buildings like icehouses—used to store ice for cooling—were often embellished with exotic architectural features to create visually striking structures in private parks. The Egyptian temple element brings a sense of grandeur and antiquity, while the kiosk adds a lighter, pavilion-like quality, illustrating how architects blended utility with ornamentation. As a print, this work by Krafft serves as both a technical record and an artistic interpretation, preserving the design for study and appreciation. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, it offers visitors a window into the sophisticated garden architecture of the period, highlighting the creativity that transformed practical necessities into elegant landscape features.