![[NAPOLEONIC NAVAL ENGINEERING] – The design archive of ship-builder Paul FILHON (1769-1819), late 18th century – 1815, comprising 138 designs for vessels and naval equipment (four signed ‘Paul Filhon’, possibly in a secretarial hand), the majority built for the French Admiralty between 1766 and 1812, and five maps of the coastline around French ports, in pen and ink, pencil and occasionally watercolour (three of the designs printed), many of the designs bearing numbers from 1-97 (the sequence incomplete, occasional duplication), various dimensions (22-60 x 12-189 cm), (occasional tattering to the edges of the tracing paper and instances of ink acidification) [with:] an autograph draft for three letters by Paul Filhon, 28 December 1807 – 12 March 1808; two passport documents for Filhon; and two further documents. Together in five boxes, two of the designs framed.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2016/CSK/2016_CSK_12051_0209_000(napoleonic_naval_engineering_the_design_archive_of_ship-builder_paul_f092857).jpg?w=1)
細節
[NAPOLEONIC NAVAL ENGINEERING] – The design archive of ship-builder Paul FILHON (1769-1819), late 18th century – 1815, comprising 138 designs for vessels and naval equipment (four signed ‘Paul Filhon’, possibly in a secretarial hand), the majority built for the French Admiralty between 1766 and 1812, and five maps of the coastline around French ports, in pen and ink, pencil and occasionally watercolour (three of the designs printed), many of the designs bearing numbers from 1-97 (the sequence incomplete, occasional duplication), various dimensions (22-60 x 12-189 cm), (occasional tattering to the edges of the tracing paper and instances of ink acidification) [with:] an autograph draft for three letters by Paul Filhon, 28 December 1807 – 12 March 1808; two passport documents for Filhon; and two further documents. Together in five boxes, two of the designs framed.
THE DESIGN ARCHIVE OF A NAVAL ARCHITECT IN NAPOLEON’S ADMIRALTY. Finely-executed drawings of vessels including frigates, shallops, corvettes and barges, certain of these for named ships apparently built in France, Spain and Portugal for service in Napoleon’s navy – such as the Jena, captured by the British in 1808 – form the core of this archive, but the designer’s eye is not confined to these; also here are drawings ranging from nautical instruments, the support structure for a mast, and cannon slots, to hand and leg irons, the decorative intentions for ships' bows, and plans for galley kitchens. Additionally, alongside Filhon's own designs are earlier examples he seems to have copied for his archive. Paul Filhon was evidently an engineer of high standing within the French navy, sent ricocheting at a frenetic pace by his military commanders between construction projects where his superior experience was most needed during the Napoleonic wars: in one instance, having travelled from his main base at Rochefort to Bordeaux in 1803, he was moved almost immediately on to Spain on an urgent mission to repair vessels damaged during the War of the Third Coalition. Indeed, this collection includes a passport issued during the tumult of the Hundred Days for Filhon to travel to Rochefort, dated very shortly before the final defeat of Napoleon. The fall of the Emperor in 1815 seems to coincide with the end of Filhon's illustrious naval career, one we can see well represented in this full and notably well preserved body of work.
THE DESIGN ARCHIVE OF A NAVAL ARCHITECT IN NAPOLEON’S ADMIRALTY. Finely-executed drawings of vessels including frigates, shallops, corvettes and barges, certain of these for named ships apparently built in France, Spain and Portugal for service in Napoleon’s navy – such as the Jena, captured by the British in 1808 – form the core of this archive, but the designer’s eye is not confined to these; also here are drawings ranging from nautical instruments, the support structure for a mast, and cannon slots, to hand and leg irons, the decorative intentions for ships' bows, and plans for galley kitchens. Additionally, alongside Filhon's own designs are earlier examples he seems to have copied for his archive. Paul Filhon was evidently an engineer of high standing within the French navy, sent ricocheting at a frenetic pace by his military commanders between construction projects where his superior experience was most needed during the Napoleonic wars: in one instance, having travelled from his main base at Rochefort to Bordeaux in 1803, he was moved almost immediately on to Spain on an urgent mission to repair vessels damaged during the War of the Third Coalition. Indeed, this collection includes a passport issued during the tumult of the Hundred Days for Filhon to travel to Rochefort, dated very shortly before the final defeat of Napoleon. The fall of the Emperor in 1815 seems to coincide with the end of Filhon's illustrious naval career, one we can see well represented in this full and notably well preserved body of work.
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