Plan of Building

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This 18th-century print titled "Plan of Building" was created by the French artist Pierre-Philippe Choffard (1730–1809). Prints such as this one played an essential role in sharing architectural ideas, using reproducible techniques to capture precise details of structures for architects, patrons, and scholars across Europe. Choffard worked in a period of evolving design in France, where architectural plans combined practical information with artistic elegance. This work likely functioned as a detailed schematic, illustrating spatial layouts and the era’s focus on proportion and innovation in building. Gifted to the Smithsonian American Art Museum by Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt, the print forms part of a distinguished collection of historical works on paper. It invites viewers to explore the intersection of art and architecture in 18th-century France, highlighting how printmaking made complex designs widely accessible.