Travel & Transport · 19th century
€ 120
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Crisp impression with strong colour. Minor toning and a faint mark in the lower margin, not affecting the main image. Print comes in a matting board.
Balloon Accident at La Villette Gasworks – Hand-Coloured Engraving, 1869
This finely detailed 19th-century hand-coloured engraving depicts a dramatic balloon accident at the La Villette gasworks in Paris on 7 March 1869.
The scene shows the moment a balloon launch went disastrously wrong, the partially inflated envelope collapsing and tearing apart while still tethered to the ground. Figures are thrown into chaos—some tumbling from the basket, others running to avoid entanglement in the balloon’s ropes—while onlookers in elegant attire watch in shock. The imposing cylindrical gas storage buildings and smoking factory chimneys in the background emphasise the industrial setting of this ill-fated ascent.
The balloon accident at the La Villette gasworks in Paris on 7 March 1869 was recorded in contemporary accounts. When the balloon failed to rise properly and drifted sideways into one of the large gas storage tanks, the envelope tore and the balloon was dragged along the ground before collapsing completely. Two people—a gasworks employee and a spectator—were caught and dragged by the balloon. Both sustained only minor injuries and were shaken, but no fatalities occurred.
Ballooning in the 19th century was a mixture of daring entertainment and experimental science, with launches often attracting large crowds. However, the technology was still rudimentary, and accidents such as this one underscored the risks involved. This engraving was likely produced for an illustrated periodical, serving both to inform and to entertain a readership fascinated by the triumphs and tragedies of early aeronautics.
The hand-applied watercolour adds depth and vibrancy to the print, highlighting the contrasting colours of the balloon’s yellow-and-red fabric and the fashionable clothing of the spectators. The image offers a compelling visual record of a real historical event in the evolution of lighter-than-air flight.
Condition report: Crisp impression with strong colour. Minor toning and a faint mark in the lower margin, not affecting the main image.
Framing tips: A dark or gilt wood frame with an off-white mount will draw the eye to the action and period detail, enhancing the historical character of the piece.
Technique: Hand-coloured engraving
Maker: Unknown, France, 1869
