Section of a Villa
Medium
architecture
Classification
architecture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1911-28-283
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Section of a Villa** by François Soufflot, called Le Romain (French, 1802), offers a glimpse into late 18th-century French architectural design. Created around the 1780s, this work captures a cross-sectional view of a villa, a format essential for architects to illustrate interior spatial relationships, structural elements, and elevations. Soufflot's nickname "Le Romain" hints at his affinity for classical Roman influences, aligning with the Neoclassical movement that dominated European architecture during this era, emphasizing symmetry, proportion, and grandeur inspired by antiquity. In th...