Gallery Ceiling Design, Hôtel Cottier

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, where we showcase the intricate preparatory works that brought grand 19th-century interiors to. "Gallery Ceiling Design, Hôtel Cottier" (1867) is a collaborative masterpiece by French artists Jules-Edmond- Lachaise and Eug-Pierre Gourdet. This detailed sheet, measuring 19½ x 13⅝ inches, captures a proposed ceiling for the elegant Hôtel Cottier, likely envisioning an opulent gallery space during France's Second Empire era—a time of lavish architectural embellishments under Napoleon III. Rendered in graphite, pen and gray ink, brush and gray wash, watercolor, and gilt, the drawing exemplifies the multifaceted techniques of 19th-century architectural drafting. These mixed media allowed designers to simulate textures, depths, and luxurious finishes like gold leaf, helping patrons visualize the final grandeur. The gilt accents highlight ornate motifs, reflecting the era's taste for sumptuous, neoclassical-inspired decoration amid Paris's urban renaissance. Acquired through the Dodge Fund in 1967, this work offers a fascinating glimpse into the collaborative creative process behind Europe's gilded interiors, bridging artistry and architecture for visitors 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...