Design for the decoration of a gothic niche 1850 - 1900

Jules-Edmond-Charles Lachaise sketched this design for a gothic niche, using watercolor and graphite, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The materials here—paper, pigment, and pencil—aren’t especially precious, but they are deployed in a way that suggests immense skill. Look closely at how Lachaise evokes the textures of stone and metal, through the sheer control of his hand. Each color is carefully considered, contributing to the richness of the overall effect. Of course, this level of detail comes at a cost; it represents many hours of labor. Even though this is just a sketch, it gives you a sense of the intensive handcraft that would have gone into realizing such a design. It’s also worth noting that the design is for a niche, which would have served a ritualistic function. So this isn’t just a drawing, but a record of the immense amount of skilled labor involved in creating sacred space. Ultimately, works like this invite us to expand our understanding of art history, embracing craft and fine art in all its forms.