← Francesco Piranesi

Fête pour la Paix Générale donnée à Paris le 18 Brumaire. Pont Royal

Original title: Fête pour la Paix Générale donnée à Paris le 18 Brumaire. Pont Royal

Artist

Francesco Piranesi

Date

1801–2

Medium

Line engraving with watercolor and gouache, text printed in gold ink

Dimensions

Sheet: 25 3/16 × 33 1/16 in. (64 × 84 cm)

Credit line

Purchase, Susan Schulman Printseller Gift, in honor of Catherine Jenkins, and Brooke Russell Astor Bequest, 2014

kurzbeschreibung

Francesco Piranesi made this print in 1801–2, capturing an evening celebration on the Pont Royal in Paris. Executed as a colored copper engraving with watercolor and gouache, it is complemented by text printed in gold ink. The subject refers to the festivities for the Peace of Lunéville in 1801.

Description

A nighttime riverbank scene unfolds, dominated by a large palace in the background, spanned by a bridge. Crowds throng the bridge and the shore, some in 18th-century dress. Two small boats with occupants lie in the foreground. The sky appears dark and cloudy, while lights emanate from the buildings and the bridge. At the top of the image, small colored figures can be seen, reminiscent of airships or similar. The water reflects the surroundings and the lights.

Context

This print comes from Francesco Piranesi, son of the famous Giovanni Battista Piranesi. It belongs to a series of prints documenting the celebrations for the Peace of Lunéville (1801). The 18th Brumaire of the republican calendar corresponds to 9 November 1801, the day of the official peace celebration in Paris. Piranesi was in Paris at the time and received support from Napoleonic circles. The elaborate design with gold printing emphasizes the official and representative character of the work.

Impact

A dark nocturnal mood and luminous details create a festive yet solemn atmosphere. Precise linework and delicate color areas give the print a decorative as well as documentary quality. The viewer is invited to observe the festive illumination and the crowd from a distance.

Technique

Copper engraving, colored with watercolor and gouache. The printed texts are executed in gold ink, producing a special sheen. The lines are fine and precise, as typical of the printmaking of the period, and the coloring was likely done by hand.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)