Salon met schouw en twee deuren 1752 - 1794

Pierre Gabriel Berthault created this drawing, "Salon met schouw en twee deuren," using pen and gray ink, showcasing a symmetrical architectural elevation. The measured linearity creates a balanced, albeit sterile, portrayal of interior space. The absence of colour and reliance on line work emphasizes structure over sensory experience. This composition reflects a formalist architectural approach, where the clarity of design takes precedence. The rhythmic repetition of panels and the mirroring of the doorways and overmantels around a central fireplace convey a sense of rigid order. Berthault’s focus on line over texture and material lends the drawing a sense of detachment, prioritizing intellectual understanding over tactile engagement. Consider how this ordered presentation speaks to the Enlightenment’s value of reason and clarity. The salon's design, devoid of chaos, presents an ideal rather than a lived reality. This aesthetic choice reinforces the notion of architecture as a tool for imposing order on space and, by extension, on society. Thus, Berthault invites us to see the drawing not just as a representation of space but also as an embodiment of an ideological project.