Design for Wall, Hôtel de Beaujon, Paris 1872

Jules Lachaise's "Design for Wall, Hôtel de Beaujon, Paris" is a delicate rendering in graphite and watercolor that presents a study in architectural aesthetics. The cool palette of blues, grays, and creams, combined with the rigidity of the rectangular forms, create a formal elegance. The design meticulously divides the wall into distinct vertical panels, each treated with varying ornamental motifs. Note how the blue decorative inlays—alternating between floral and figural designs—add a layer of complexity to the composition. This use of semiotic symbols creates a dialogue between art and design, suggesting a deeper interplay of cultural codes. The piece doesn't just offer a plan for interior decoration but challenges fixed meanings of interior design. Instead, it engages with new ways of thinking about space, perception, and representation through form. Lachaise's design embodies a moment in art history where formalism meets the decorative arts, inviting us to consider how the construction of space is equally a construction of meaning.