FR EN
an old drawing of a view of a city from a distance
Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin

1664 - Aviation – Balloon Flight Expérience de la Machine Aréostati…
See original version (German)

Estimate €300 - €400
Sale commission
Description
Aviation – Balloon Flight Expérience de la Machine Aréostatique/Experiment with the aerostatic machine. 1783. Copperplate engraving with old colouring. Approx. 29 x 38 cm. Viewbox sheet with mirror-inverted header, featuring a bilingual caption in French and German at the bottom. The lower half of the image features decorative elements and a signature. Mounted on a passe-partout and framed behind glass. Published by the Akademische Kunsthandlung, Augsburg 1783. – This peep-show sheet depicts the ascent of the first hydrogen balloon on 27 August 1783 at the Champ de Mars in Paris. The taffeta balloon was built by the Robert brothers based on a design by Jacques Charles, financed by a national subscription, and launched under the direction of Faujas de Saint-Fond. The caption attributes the experiment to the Montgolfier brothers, as was often the case at the time. In the foreground, the barrels used for gas production can be seen amidst a lively crowd of onlookers; behind them is a freely composed Parisian cityscape. – The sky is more creased and rubbed, with water stains and patchy colour loss. Small tears to the upper right-hand corner, a vertical crease, and a small loss of colour in the group of figures on the right. Overall in good condition. An excellent, richly detailed print with delicate colouring, trimmed close to the plate edge. Copper engraving with contemporary hand colouring. Approx. 29 x 38 cm. Optical view (vue d’optique) with reversed title at the top, bilingual French and German caption below. Mounted in a passe-partout and framed under glass. – Published by the Akademische Kunsthandlung, Augsburg, 1783. - The print depicts the ascent of the first hydrogen balloon on the Champ de Mars in Paris on 27 August 1783. The taffeta balloon was constructed by the Robert brothers to Jacques Charles’s design, financed by a national subscription and launched under the direction of Faujas de Saint-Fond. As was common at the time, the caption attributes the experiment to the Montgolfier brothers. In the foreground, the barrels used to produce the gas stand amidst a lively crowd of spectators; behind them, an imaginary Paris skyline. - The sky shows heavier creasing and rubbing, watermarks and some loss of colour in places. Small marginal tears in the top right-hand corner, a vertical crease, and a small loss of colour in the group of figures on the right. The lower half of the image, featuring the figures and caption, is affected. Overall in good condition. An excellent, richly detailed print with delicate colouring, trimmed close to the platemark.
See original version (German)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like