France · 19th century
€ 340
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Very good condition with a strong, clean impression and only light age toning in the margins consistent with age. No distracting blemishes; please study the images carefully.
Antique French Architectural Print Ecuries, Boulevard Beauséjour c.1900
Antique architectural lithograph of a purpose-built stable block titled “Ecuries (Boulevard Beauséjour),” Plate XXVIII from Pierre Chabat’s celebrated series La Brique et la Terre Cuite. Produced in the late 19th century to around 1900, the plate records a refined urban complex where functionality and ornament meet, rendered with Chabat’s characteristic precision. The composition presents an elevation of the façade together with carefully dimensioned plans and sectional views that explain circulation, stall arrangement, and service areas. Decorative brickwork, terracotta string courses, and timber detailing articulate the structure while buttresses, broad doors, and ventilating elements reveal the practical demands of housing horses and carriages in a dense city setting.
As an architect, writer, and teacher, Pierre Chabat (1827–1892) championed brick and terracotta as versatile, hygienic, and economical materials suited to both domestic and industrial architecture. His plates—drawn to scale and crisply lithographed—served as models for architects and builders while also celebrating the aesthetic potential of polychrome brickwork. Today, prints from this series are valued equally as documentary sources for 19th-century construction and as decorative works whose warm palettes and rhythmic geometries sit comfortably in contemporary interiors. This plate is a particularly interesting subject: stables were essential infrastructure for the modern city on the cusp of the motor age, and Chabat’s design demonstrates how utilitarian buildings could be handled with architectural dignity.
Ideal for collectors of French architecture, urban history, equestrian or carriage-house design, or anyone seeking a striking graphic with strong linear structure and subtle tonal range. The clear layout and labeled parts also make it a useful reference for architects, preservationists, and designers.
Condition report: Very good condition with a strong, clean impression and only light age toning in the margins consistent with age. No distracting blemishes; please study the images carefully.
Framing tips: Pair with a simple dark walnut or ebonized frame and a wide ivory mat to emphasize the drawing’s linework. A thin terracotta or rust-colored inner mount echoes the brick detailing and adds a refined architectural accent.
Technique: Lithograph
Maker: Pierre Chabat, French architect, c.1900
