About this sheet
Vue des Ruines de la Vénerie – French Architectural Ruins Copperplate Engraving, Louis-Pierre Baltard, 1803
This finely executed original antique copperplate engraving depicts the picturesque ruins known as the "Ruines de la Vénerie," rendered with the refined architectural precision characteristic of the French Neoclassical period. The composition combines dramatic cloud formations with the remains of a monumental arcade, while grazing livestock and small figures animate the tranquil foreground, creating a harmonious balance between history, architecture, and the rural landscape.
The engraving was designed and engraved by the distinguished French architect and artist Louis-Pierre Baltard (1764–1846) and published in Paris in 1803. It originates from the celebrated Napoleonic-era publication Paris et ses Monuments, mesurés, dessinés et gravés, one of the most important illustrated surveys of French architecture and historic monuments produced during the early 19th century.
Baltard's engravings are admired for their meticulous architectural accuracy, elegant composition, and exceptional copperplate engraving technique. Today they are appreciated by collectors of French architectural prints, Grand Tour imagery, and early 19th-century decorative works on paper.
This is an original antique engraving, printed in 1803, and not a later reproduction. It is offered unframed. Any framed images are for presentation purposes only.
Year:
1803
Maker:
Louis-Pierre Baltard (1764–1846)
Publisher:
Paris
Origin:
France
Technique:
Original copperplate engraving on laid paper
Condition:
Good antique condition with age-related toning, scattered foxing, and light wear consistent with age. Please study the photographs carefully.
Materials:
Paper, black ink
Style:
Neoclassical, Grand Tour, Architectural, French
Subject:
Architectural ruins, historic monuments, landscape, French heritage, Napoleonic period
Keywords:
Louis-Pierre Baltard, Paris et ses Monuments, French engraving, architectural engraving, antique print, copperplate engraving, French architecture, Neoclassical print, Grand Tour, ruins, Vénerie, architectural ruins, historic monument, Paris, landscape engraving, 1803, collectible print, original antique print, French decor, wall art