Apollo, from Livre de Portieres
published 1737
Medium
Etching on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Image/plate: 30 × 25.1 cm (11 13/16 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
144377
Art Historical Context
Behold *Apollo, from Livre de Portieres*, captivating etching by French artist Claude Gillot, posthumously in 1737. Gillot (1673–1722), a pivotal figure bridging Baroque and Rococo styles, was renowned for his lively scenes of commedia dell'arte performers and mythological figures. This work hails from a series of designs intended for *portières*—ornate door curtains popular in 18th-century French interiors—showcasing his flair for elegant, theatrical compositions that influenced masters like Antoine Watteau. Rendered as an etching on cream laid paper (30 × 25.1 cm), the piece exemplifies the...
About the Artist
Claude Gillot · 1673–1722
Artist known for his elegant designs done in the Rococo manner of Audran; also for his predilection for scenes from the 'comedia dell'arte.' Few paintings survive; his work is known mainly through drawings and etchings. Comment on works: Genre; History