Avril, from the Almanach iconologique

Art Historical Context

"Avril," or "April," is a delicate etching and engraving from the *Almanach iconologique a series of illustrated almanacs popular in 18th-century France. around 1765–81 by the renowned Rococo artists Hubert François Gravelot and François Rousseau, this small print (just 4 5/16 x 6 1/2 inches) captures the essence of springtime through graceful female figures and cows, evoking pastoral harmony. Gravelot, a master illustrator known for his elegant line work in books and decorative arts, collaborated with Rousseau to produce these vivid monthly vignettes, blending whimsy with seasonal symbolism. Almanacs like this one served as both practical calendars and cultural touchstones, adorning homes with affordable, reproducible art that personified the months. "Avril" likely draws on traditional iconography, where women tending cows represent renewal, fertility, and the dairy-rich abundance of spring—a nod to rural French life amid the opulent Rococo era's fascination with nature's pleasures. The etching and engraving techniques allowed for intricate details and tonal depth, making high-quality prints accessible beyond elite patrons. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to the Bequest of Phyllis Massar in 2011, this gem invites visitors to savor the artistry of everyday symbolism in Enlightenment-era France.

About the Artist

Hubert François Gravelot|Jean François Rousseau · 1699–1773

Hubert-François Bourguignon, known as Gravelot (1699–1773), was a leading French Rococo engraver, illustrator, and designer whose elegant draftsmanship bridged the artistic worlds of France and England. Born in Paris to a tailor, he adopted his pseudonym from a godfather and grew up alongside his elder brother, the geographer Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville. After neglecting studies at the Col...