Design for a Decorative Panel
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1908-26-128
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Juste-François Boucher’s *Design for a Decorative Panel*, created around 1780, offers a glimpse into the refined world of late eighteenth-century French decorative arts. Born in 1736 and active until his death in 1782, Boucher worked during a period when elegant ornamentation remained highly prized in aristocratic interiors, even as tastes began shifting toward neoclassical restraint. As a preparatory drawing, the work likely served as a blueprint for a painted or carved panel destined for a Parisian salon, reflecting the collaborative nature of design in this era. Drawings of this kind were ...