Decoration of the Hall of Spectacles
Medium
Etching and engraving on paper
Dimensions
Plate: 74 × 53 cm (29 3/16 × 20 7/8 in.); Sheet: 84 × 60.5 cm (33 1/8 × 23 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
24271
Art Historical Context
Charles-Nicolas Cochin the Younger created this detailed etching and engraving in 1745 to document the lavish interior decoration of a grand hall designed for spectacles and performances. As a leading French printmaker of the Rococo era, Cochin specialized in capturing the ornate temporary decorations commissioned for royal events and court entertainments during the reign of Louis XV. The medium of etching and engraving on paper allowed him to reproduce intricate architectural details, sculptural elements, and theatrical embellishments with remarkable precision, preserving a visual record of d...