Right and Left Tribunes
Medium
Pen and black ink with watercolor over graphite underdrawing; framing lines in pen and black ink
Dimensions
8 1/2 x 11 11/16 in. (21.6 x 29.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.50.173
Art Historical Context
Charles Percier (1764–1838), a leading French architect and designer of the Napoleonic era, created *Right and Left Tribunes a meticulous architectural drawing that exemplifies the opulent Empire style. Working alongside Pierre Fontaine, Percier shaped the grandeur of Napoleon's imperial interiors, blending neoclassical precision with lavish ornamentation. This sheet likely presents symmetrical designs for tribunes—elevated balconies or seating platforms—intended for grand halls or theaters, showcasing his expertise in decorative architecture. Executed in pen and black ink with watercolor a g...
About the Artist
Charles Percier · 1764–1838
Charles Percier (1764–1838) rose from humble origins in Paris, where his mother laundered for Marie-Antoinette and his father served as a porter at the Tuileries Palace, to become one of France's most influential neoclassical architects and designers. From age twelve, he attended a free drawing school for indigent students, honing his skills in the studio of painter Louis-Jean-François Lagrenée be...