Design for Vis-à-vis/ Barouche, no. 392
1850–70
Medium
Watercolor and ink
Dimensions
6 x 8 13/16 in. (15.2 x 22.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William Brewster, 1923
Accession Number
23.112.1506
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of mid-19th-century transportation with *Design for Vis-à-visBarouche, no. 392* by Brewster & Co., a New York carriage maker active from the 1810s to the early 20th century. Created between 1850 and 1870, this precise watercolor and ink drawing (6 x 8 13/16 in.) captures the intricate details of a vis-à-vis barouche—a luxurious four-wheeled carriage facing seats and a convertible top, favored by the elite for leisurely drives. Cataloged as design number 392, it exemplifies the company's bespoke approach to crafting vehicles for high society, including dignitaries an...
About the Artist
Brewster & Co.
**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...