Design for a Lighthouse
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-293-3
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This print, titled Design for a Lighthouse, was created by the French artist A. Le Canu, active from 1746 to 1768. Dated between 1760 and 1775, it captures an architectural proposal from a time when printed images played a key role in circulating new ideas among architects, engineers, and patrons. As a print, the work allowed Le Canu’s design to be reproduced and shared more widely than a unique drawing could. Lighthouses were vital to 18th-century maritime trade and safety, and French designers of the period often blended practical engineering with elegant form. Though the precise printing t...