Design for a Wine Fountain
ca. 1770–1816
Medium
Pen, black ink with brush and gray wash
Dimensions
10 3/16 x 7 1/16in. (25.8 x 18cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund and The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1978
Accession Number
1978.521.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
Henri Auguste’s *Design for a Wine Fountain*, created around 1770–1816, is a delicate preparatory drawing that captures the grandeur of 18th-century ornamental architecture. Rendered in pen and black ink with brush and gray wash on paper (10 3/16 x 7 1/16 in.), this work exemplifies the meticulous techniques used by designers of the era to envision elaborate public and garden features. The gray wash adds subtle tonal depth, suggesting stone textures and flowing water, while precise ink lines define architectural forms—perfect for pitching ideas to patrons or craftsmen. Likely intended for a f...