Design for a Mantlepiece
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-123-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean Le Pautre (1618–1682), a leading French designer and engraver of the Baroque era, created this *Design for a Mantle* around 1675, during the opulent reign of Louis XIV. As a master of ornamental prints, Le Pautre to the grandeur of Versailles and French decorative arts, blending classical motifs with lavish scrolling foliage, mythological figures, and architectural elements. His works epitomized the *style Louis XIV*, where intricate designs for furniture and interiors symbolized royal power and refined taste. Classified as a print in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, thi...