About this sheet
Original antique architectural engraving showing the reconstructed plan of an ancient Greek house, based on the writings of the Roman architect Vitruvius and engraved by Ambroise Tardieu.
Titled “Plan d’une Maison Grecque, d’après Vitruve,” the plate offers a fascinating interpretation of the layout and organization of an affluent domestic residence in ancient Greece.
The highly detailed floor plan distinguishes between the principal areas of the household, including the “Appartement de la Femme” and “Appartement du Mari.” An extensive engraved key identifies the individual rooms and architectural features.
Among the spaces shown are vestibules, porticoes, a peristyle courtyard, dining rooms, bedrooms, libraries, a picture gallery, reception and conversation rooms, servants’ quarters, stables, gardens and connecting passages. The arrangement provides an unusually detailed visual insight into early 19th-century interpretations of ancient Greek domestic architecture and everyday life.
The plan is based on descriptions by Vitruvius, whose De Architectura remains the most important surviving ancient Roman treatise on architecture.
Engraved by Ambroise Tardieu for the atlas accompanying Jean-Jacques Barthélemy’s Voyage du jeune Anacharsis en Grèce.
An especially interesting architectural print for collectors of classical architecture, ancient Greece, interior design and the history of domestic architecture.
Creator / Engraver: Ambroise Tardieu
After: Vitruvius
Title: Plan d’une Maison Grecque, d’après Vitruve
Publication: Paris
Plate: Pl. 23
Subject: Ancient Greek house and domestic architecture
Good antique condition with general age toning, scattered foxing and occasional small stains and marks. Old mounting or tape residue is visible along the upper margin. Some discoloration and foxing are present in the margins. The engraved architectural plan and text remain clear and detailed. Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.
Original antique engraving. Not a modern reproduction.
Sold unframed. Any framed or interior images shown are for presentation and inspiration only.
