Design for a ceiling with lattice work and flowering vines

Art Historical Context

In the lavish world of 19th-century interior design, this exquisite *Design for a Ceiling with Lattice Work Flowering Vines* the era's passion for ornate decoration. Created collaboratively by French artists Jules-Edmond-Charles Lise and Eugène-Pierredet in the second half the century, it exemplifies meticulous preparatory drawings used by architects and decorators to envision grand spaces. The intricate lattice framework intertwined with blooming vines evokes the romantic naturalism popular during the Victorian period and early stirrings of Art Nouveau, where floral motifs symbolized abundance and elegance in opulent homes and public buildings. Rendered on laid paper—a traditional support prized for its textured weave—the artwork masterfully combines graphite for fine underdrawing, pen and ink for precise lines, and watercolor for vibrant, luminous color. Mounted on blue wove paper, it was likely presented as a professional proposal, highlighting the technical skill required in ornamental architecture. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Dodge Fund in 1967), this piece offers a window into the collaborative craft of 19th-century design, where beauty and engineering harmonized to transform ceilings into living tapestries of nature.

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...