Design for the decoration of the ceiling of a vestibule in painted panels with roman key borders 1830 - 1897

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise made this design for a vestibule ceiling with painted panels in the early 20th century. Here, we can see an artist taking cues from the visual language of antiquity to suggest an architectural interior of refined taste and classical learning. The geometric key patterns, the pale fresco-like tones, and the idealized motifs are all suggestive of high culture. But where might such a vestibule exist? And for what kind of patron was such a design intended? In early 20th century America, Beaux-Arts classicism was often used to denote public authority and civic virtue. Architectural drawings like this one can provide important clues about how cultural institutions have historically sought to associate themselves with wealth, knowledge, and power. By studying architectural renderings, sketches, and archival documents we can start to understand the ways in which art and architecture participate in the creation and maintenance of social hierarchies.