Design for a Gate
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-332-177
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Design for a Gate by Richard de Lalonde the elegance of late 18th-century French design. Created in 1789 by this French artist, active from 1780 to 1796, the work is a print showcasing a proposed architectural gate. This period marked the waning years of the Ancien Rég, just as the French Revolution erupted, blending opulent decorative arts with emerging Neoclassical restraint inspired by antiquity. As a print, the piece likely served as a reproducible blueprint for craftsmen, highlighting Lalonde's skill in architectural ornamentation—a hallmark of French designers who influenced grand est...