Paris Bastille Elephant Model – Antique Engraving Dated 1830

Description

This Paris Bastille elephant engraving shows the monumental model sheltered inside a large timber building. The publication line is dated 1 August 1830, and the original French caption reads “Modèle de l’éléphant de la place de la Bastille”.

The elephant towers above the visitors gathered around its base. Their small figures emphasise the extraordinary scale of the model, while beams, walkways and ladders form an intricate architectural setting. The interior view offers a striking record of a vanished Parisian curiosity.

Napoleon I planned a monumental bronze elephant fountain for the Place de la Bastille. The project remained unfinished, and a wood-and-plaster model survived until 1846. Victor Hugo later gave the elephant a lasting literary identity in Les Misérables, where it shelters the street child Gavroche. Historical background — Fondation Napoléon

Fine engraved lines describe the elephant’s skin, the densely layered roof structure and the visitors’ clothing. The contrast between the pale model and its darker surroundings draws attention to the animal’s imposing silhouette.

An engaging antique print for collectors of Paris views, architectural history, Napoleonic subjects and literary associations.

DETAILS

– Printed title: “Modèle de l’éléphant de la place de la Bastille”.
– Location depicted: Paris, France.
– Inscribed publication date: 1 August 1830.
– Drawing: J. Nash.
– Direction: A. Pugin.
– Engravers: Fenner, Sears & Co.
– Publishers: Robert Jennings and William Chaplin, London.
– Medium: engraving on paper.
– Colour: black and white.
– Sheet dimensions: 17.3 × 13 cm.
– Image dimensions: 12.3 × 9 cm.