3: 18th-Century Carriages

Vis-à-vis carriage for two

Circa 1761

Paris, France

500x195x225 cm

Wood, iron, steel, bronze, leather, glass, silk, mother of pearl; forging, casting, chasing, woodcarving, gilding, inlay work, quilting, painting, weaving, embroidery

In the 18th century the expression vis-à-vis was used to describe a carriage with a body for two passengers who sat face to face. The Hermitage carriage is of exceptional artistic and historical value, since there are practically no vehicles of this kind in European museums. The workmanship here is of very high quality. It belonged to Ivan Betsky, a prominent public figure in the realm of Russian culture, who bought it in Paris and presented it to Empress Catherine II in 1762. The carriage is decorated in the Rococo style.