1873 French Architectural Print Maison de Campagne Limoges

A rare original hand-colored chromolithograph plate from the Revue Générale de l'Architecture et des Travaux Publics — one of the most important architectural journals of 19th-century France and a foundational publication in the history of architectural print media. This is Plate 28, Volume XXX, published in 1873, the final and most complete volume of the journal's original 30-volume run (1840–1873).

The Publication

The Revue Générale was founded and edited by César Denis Daly (1811–1894), a French architect, publisher, and one of the most influential figures in 19th-century European architectural culture. Published from 31 Rue des Écoles, Paris, the journal was distributed internationally and shaped generations of architects across France and abroad. Its chromolithograph plates — produced in limited press runs for professional subscribers — are among the most collectible documents of Victorian-era architectural design. Volume XXX marks the close of the journal's first complete series, making its plates particularly desirable to collectors of the complete run.

The Plate

The upper portion presents a richly detailed exterior elevation of a Maison de Campagne (country villa) built in Limoges, Haute-Vienne, designed by Parisian constructors Waaser & Bougleux. The architecture is a confident expression of the Norman Revival / Second Empire style popular among French provincial estates of the period: half-timbered facade with decorative X-bracing, an octagonal corner tower with conical slate roof and iron finial, elaborate wrought-iron cresting along the full roofline, arched entry stair, and warm terracotta tile throughout. The surrounding landscape is rendered in soft washes of green and ochre.

The lower portion of the plate presents detailed floor plans for both the ground floor (Rez-de-Chaussée) and first floor (1er Étage), accompanied by a full French legend identifying twelve rooms: Porche, Grand Vestibule, Grand Salon, Petit Salon, Salle à Manger, Cuisine (ground floor); Vestibule, Antichambre, three Chambres à Coucher, Cabinets de Toilette, Débarras, and Lieux d'Aisances (first floor). Scale notation reads Échelle des Plans à 0m.005 p.r mètre.

Engraved by J. Sulpis (J. Sulpis sc.), a Paris-based engraver active in major architectural publishing houses of the period. Printed by Laurent, Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris.

The plate header reads in full: Revue Générale de l'Architecture et des Travaux Publics — 31, Rue des Écoles, Paris — Dirigée par Mr. César Daly, Architecte — Année 1873 — XXXIVe Année de la Fondation — Vol. XXX — Pl. 28

Condition:
Very Good, Frame Scuffed

Size:
Overall: 27.25" X 21.25" X 7/8"
Visible: 17.5" X 13.5"