Design for Landaulet, no. 895

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of 19th-century coachbuilding with *Design for Landaulet,. 895* by & Co., a premier New York firm renowned for crafting luxury carriages for America's elite. Created between 1850 and 1870, this precise drawing depicts a landaulet—a stylish four-wheeled carriage a convertible roof over the rear seats ideal for fashionable outings. Rendered in watercolor and ink on a compact 5 3/4 x 9-inch sheet, it showcases the firm's meticulous attention to ornate details like curved panels, spokes, and upholstery, blending functionality with opulence. Brewster & Co., founded in 1810, dominated the Gilded Age carriage trade, exporting to Europe and serving figures like the Vanderbilts. This design drawing exemplifies their presentation style: ink outlines for sharp lines and watercolor washes for vibrant highlights, making complex engineering accessible and alluring to prospective buyers. Such works highlight the artistry behind horse-drawn transport's golden era, just before automobiles reshaped mobility. Today, gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1923 by William Brewster, this piece from the Drawings and Prints department preserves a snapshot of industrial design's artistic roots, reminding us how carriages were once symbols of status and innovation.

About the Artist

Brewster & Co. · 1837–present

**Brewster & Co.** Brewster & Company, a premier American coachbuilder renowned for its exquisite carriage designs, was established in 1810 in New Haven, Connecticut, by James Brewster (1788–1866). Born in 1788, Brewster trained as a wagonmaker's apprentice starting at age 16 in Northampton, Massachusetts, before relocating to New Haven, where he set up his workshop and quickly gained acclaim for...