Bilboquet
possibly ca. 1780
Medium
toys & games
Classification
toys & games
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Anonymous Donor
Accession Number
1967-48-42-a,b
About this artwork
Stick and ball toy: ball pierced with hole through center, featuring black engraved images of putti in various stages of play, including several using a Bilboquet; foliage, flowers, pair of doves on plinth in background; continous festoon above play vignettes; top and bottom of ball feature continuous acanthus leaf motifs; ball attached by green silk cord to spirally fluted, baluster-turned stick; stick engraved with additional acanthus leaf motifs near top and bottom; continuous coin pattern ca...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...