Balcony Balustrade Designs
late 18th century
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-427-11
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 18-century design with *Balcony Balustrade* by Jean François Forty, artist active between 1775 and 1790. This print, housed in the Smithsonian American Art's collection, showcases intricate architectural motifs for balcony railings—those graceful barriers that adorned grand European and early American homes. Purchased for the museum by the Advisory Council, exemplifies the period's fascination with ornamentation, bridging functionality and beauty in urban facades. Created during the tail end of the Rococo era and the rise of Neoclassicism, Forty's work refl...