Design for the Decoration of Firearms
ca. 1797–1805
Medium
Pencil, ink, gray wash on paper
Dimensions
2 3/4 x 5 1/4 in. (7 x 13.3 cm)
Classification
Works on Paper-Drawings
Culture
French, Versailles
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Clay P. Bedford Gift, 2004
Accession Number
2004.101.36
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nicolas Noël Boutet, a gunsmith at the royal arms factory in Versailles, created this delicate *Design for the Decoration ofarms* around 1797–1805, during the turbulent shift from French Revolution to Napoleonic Empire. As director of the Manufacture de Versailles, Boutet in crafting opulent firearms for elite patrons, blending functionality with lavish ornamentation. This small-scale drawing (just 2¾ × 5¼ inches) served as a preparatory blueprint, showcasing intricate patterns likely intended for engraving on gun barrels, locks, or mounts—hallmarks of French decorative arms artistry. Rendere...
About the Artist
Nicolas Noël Boutet · 1761–1833
French, Versailles and Paris, 1761–1833