Design for a ceiling

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints collection, where you'll find *Design for a Ceiling*, delicate preparatory drawing by French artists Jules-EdmondCharles Lachaise and Eugène-Pierre Gourdet from the second half of the th century. Created with graphite and watercolor on paper (measuring 14 3/4 x 10 3/8 inches), this work captures the era's fascination with grand interior decoration, likely intended for an opulent public or private space during France's Second Empire or early Third Republic periods. Ceiling designs like this were essential blueprints for lavish architectural embellishments, blending intricate patterns with vibrant color to evoke grandeur and elegance. Lachaise and Gourdet's collaboration reflects the collaborative spirit of 19th-century ateliers, where architects and decorators pooled expertise to realize ambitious visions. The use of graphite provided precise lines for architectural motifs, while watercolor added luminous washes, simulating the final painted effect and allowing clients to preview the splendor. Acquired through the Dodge Fund in 1967, this piece offers a glimpse into the meticulous planning behind the era's ornate interiors, highlighting how drawings served as vital intermediaries between imagination and execution. A testament to technical finesse and artistic ambition, it invites us to appreciate the unsung artistry behind the ceilings we admire today.

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...