Design for a Tablet for a Chimney-Piece with Two Swans in Combat, Enclosed within a Scrolling Cartouche with a Water-Spouting Dragon's Head
1762
Medium
Crayon manner and stipple engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 8 x 13 1/16 in. (20.3 x 33.2 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harvey Smith, 1985
Accession Number
1985.1099
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of 18th-century interior design, Thomas Johnson's *Design for a Tablet for Chimney-Piece with Swans in Combat,closed within a Scrollingouche with a Water-Sp Dragon's Head* (2) captures the playful drama of Rococo ornamentation. This intricate print depicts two fierce swans locked in battle within an elaborate, scrolling cartouche—a decorative frame—topped by a fantastical dragon's head sp water. Intended as a panel for a fireplace mantel (chimney-piece), it the era's fascination with dynamic natural motifs, blending avian grace with mythical ferocity to adorn grand homes. ...