Cartouche Design
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-270-10
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This Cartouche Design by Pierre-Philippe Choffard, a French artist born in 1730 and passing in 1809, dates from around 1760 to 1775. As a print, it showcases a decorative cartouche—an elaborate, often scroll-like frame that was a hallmark of European design during this period. Such motifs were commonly employed in architecture, book illustrations, maps, and interior decorations to add elegance and structure to compositions. In the context of 18th-century France, Choffard's work reflects the era's taste for intricate and graceful ornamentation, bridging the gap between fine art and applied des...