Design for an Altar
Medium
Bound print
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-216-45
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Gilles-Marie Oppenord (2–1742), a prominent French architect and designer of the Régence period, this *Design for an* as part of his oeuvre in ornamental arts. dated 1749–1761—likely reflecting posthumous publication or compilation—the work captures Oppenord's signature rococo flair, characterized by curves, intricate motifs, and a sense of asymmetry. As a master of decorative design, Oppenord served under Louis XIV and contributed to the Opéra at Versailles, blending Baroque grandeur with lighter, more whimsical forms that defined early 18th-century French taste. Rendered as a bound print, t...