Design for an Agraffe
ca. 1742
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-991
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Design for an Agra** by Girolamouri (ca. 1742) offers a captivating glimpse into 18th-century European decorative arts. Venturi, an Italian designer during the Rococo era, created this preparatory drawing for an *agraffe*—an ornate clasp or hook used to fasten garments like cloaks or bodices. Such designs were essential to the opulent fashion of the time, blending functionality with lavish embellishment to showcase wealth and craftsmanship. Dating to around 1742, the work reflects the intricate, asymmetrical motifs of the Rococo style, which emphasized elegance and playfulness over the gran...