This finely hand-colored 19th-century lithograph presents a lively view of the July Column, capturing Parisian street life shortly after the monument’s completion. Rendered with architectural precision and social vitality, the work exemplifies Isidore Laurent Deroy’s mastery of urban topography during the height of French Romantic lithography.
This scene depicts the Colonne de Juillet rising from the Place de la Bastille, animated by horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians, and flanking Haussmann-era façades. The composition balances architectural monumentality with daily urban rhythm, a hallmark of Deroy’s work.
Executed as a lithograph and finished with delicate hand coloring, the print demonstrates refined tonal transitions, controlled linework, and a painterly approach to color application. The palette—muted ochres, soft greens, and warm stone hues—reflects mid-19th-century Paris as both historical record and aesthetic subject.
Signed in the stone and published during Deroy’s most active period, this work belongs to the tradition of topographical lithography, created for collectors, travelers, and institutions eager to document modern Paris.
Isidore Laurent Deroy was born in Paris and trained during the early expansion of lithography as a fine-art medium in France. He became one of the foremost architectural and topographical lithographers of the 19th century, specializing in detailed city views, monuments, and public spaces.
Deroy worked extensively in Paris, collaborating with major publishers such as Lemercier and contributing to landmark illustrated volumes documenting French architecture and urban life. His work bridges Enlightenment precision and Romantic atmosphere, influencing later generations of architectural illustrators.
Deroy exhibited widely through published portfolios rather than salon painting circuits, and his works are now held in major institutional collections including the Bibliothèque nationale de France. His legacy rests on his ability to merge documentary accuracy with visual elegance.
Isidore Laurent Deroy (French, 1797–1886), Paris, Colonne de Juillet, c.1840s, hand-colored lithograph, approx. 14 × 19 in., signed in plate, unframed.
This work is an original 19th-century hand-colored lithograph by Isidore Laurent Deroy, created during his active Paris period. The paper, printing technique, and plate signature are consistent with authenticated examples held in European and American collections. Condition reflects age-appropriate toning and handling.
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in NYC and Europe)
Private Collection
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
This finely hand-colored 19th-century lithograph presents a lively view of the July Column, capturing Parisian street life shortly after the monument’s completion. Rendered with architectural precision and social vitality, the work exemplifies Isidore Laurent Deroy’s mastery of urban topography during the height of French Romantic lithography.
This scene depicts the Colonne de Juillet rising from the Place de la Bastille, animated by horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians, and flanking Haussmann-era façades. The composition balances architectural monumentality with daily urban rhythm, a hallmark of Deroy’s work.
Executed as a lithograph and finished with delicate hand coloring, the print demonstrates refined tonal transitions, controlled linework, and a painterly approach to color application. The palette—muted ochres, soft greens, and warm stone hues—reflects mid-19th-century Paris as both historical record and aesthetic subject.
Signed in the stone and published during Deroy’s most active period, this work belongs to the tradition of topographical lithography, created for collectors, travelers, and institutions eager to document modern Paris.
Isidore Laurent Deroy was born in Paris and trained during the early expansion of lithography as a fine-art medium in France. He became one of the foremost architectural and topographical lithographers of the 19th century, specializing in detailed city views, monuments, and public spaces.
Deroy worked extensively in Paris, collaborating with major publishers such as Lemercier and contributing to landmark illustrated volumes documenting French architecture and urban life. His work bridges Enlightenment precision and Romantic atmosphere, influencing later generations of architectural illustrators.
Deroy exhibited widely through published portfolios rather than salon painting circuits, and his works are now held in major institutional collections including the Bibliothèque nationale de France. His legacy rests on his ability to merge documentary accuracy with visual elegance.
Isidore Laurent Deroy (French, 1797–1886), Paris, Colonne de Juillet, c.1840s, hand-colored lithograph, approx. 14 × 19 in., signed in plate, unframed.
This work is an original 19th-century hand-colored lithograph by Isidore Laurent Deroy, created during his active Paris period. The paper, printing technique, and plate signature are consistent with authenticated examples held in European and American collections. Condition reflects age-appropriate toning and handling.
Mitch Morse Gallery, New York (acquired in NYC and Europe)
Private Collection
Current owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
