Design for a Bowl
ca. 1770–90
Medium
Pen and gray and rose ink, brush and gray wash
Dimensions
15 1/8 x 9 in. (38.4 x 22.8 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Raphael Esmerian, 1961
Accession Number
61.680.2(4)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate "Design for a Bowl from late 18th-century France offers a glimpse into the world of ornamental design during the waning years of the Rococo era the rise of Neoclassicism. Created anonymously around 1770–90, it exemplifies the meticulous preparatory sketches used by French artisans—likely silversmiths or porcelain designers—to envision luxury tableware. At 15 1/8 x 9 inches, the sheet captures the graceful curves and intricate motifs that high-end decorative arts for dining. Rendered in pen with and rose inks, accented by brush and gray, the drawing showcases virtuoso techniques ...
About the Artist
Anonymous, French, 18th century · 1700–1800
The artist known as Anonymous, French, 18th century, represents a collective of unidentified talents active roughly between 1700 and 1800, a period of profound artistic evolution in France from the opulent Rococo to the austere dawn of Neoclassicism and Revolutionary fervor. Little is documented about their personal training or mentors, as their anonymity obscures individual biographies, though th...