Chasse
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-313-41
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Chasse** (1748) is a captivating print by Pierre Germain, a prominent French engraver active during the Rococo era (1703–1783). Created in the mid-18th century under Louis XV's reign, this work exemplifies the period's elegant and playful aesthetic, where artists like Germain specialized in intricate vignettes, ornaments, and scenes of aristocratic leisure. The title *Chasse*, meaning "hunt" in French, evokes the thrill of the chase—a favored motif among the nobility, symbolizing vitality, status, and harmony with nature. As a print, *Chasse* highlights the technical prowess of 18th-century...