Design for the Letter D of a Pictorial Alphabet: Dieu (God)
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-781
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Victor Vincent Adam, a French artist (1801–1866), created this preparatory drawing around 1830 as part of a pictorial alphabet project. The work focuses on the letter D, paired with the French word “ieu” (God), typography and imagery in a single composition. Such alphabets were common educational tools in early nineteenth-century Europe, designed to help children connect letters with meaningful symbols and ideas. As a drawing rather than a finished print, the piece reveals Adam’s working method—likely exploring how to integrate divine imagery with the curving form of the letter D. Adam was kn...