Design for Ceiling 19th century

This is Charles Monblond’s Design for a Ceiling, made in the 1800s using pen and black ink with gray wash on laid paper. Imagine the world in which this drawing was created. Gender roles were distinct, and the decorative arts were often associated with femininity and the domestic sphere. Monblond, as a male artist, would have been navigating these social expectations. What does it mean to create designs that would adorn the homes of the wealthy, subtly reinforcing their status and power? The drawing offers a glimpse into the visual culture of its time, a time when elaborate ornamentation signified wealth and taste. Think of the countless unseen hands that would have been involved in the physical creation of such a ceiling. The drawing then serves as a powerful reminder of the labor and social structures that underpin even the most seemingly innocuous aspects of our built environment.