Arabesque Ornament Design
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-336-1
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
### Arabesque Ornament Design in 1788 by French artist Etienne de Lavalléeoussin (1735–1802), *Arabesque Ornament Design is a captivating print that exemplifies the intricate ornamental styles of late 18th-century Europe Lavallée-Poussin, active during the waning years of the Ancien Régime, specialized in decorative motifs, and this work showcases the flowing, interlaced patterns known as arabesques—curvilinear designs inspired by Islamic art and adapted into Western decorative traditions. Produced just a year before the French Revolution, it reflects a period when opulent ornamentation ador...