DESSUS DE CLAVECIN GRAVÃ DâAPRÃS LE DESSEIN ORIGINAL INVENTÃ PAR GILLOT
1731â35
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-420-10
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Claude Gillot (1673–1722), a pioneering French artist and engraver, bridges the late Baroque and emerging Rococo styles, influencing masters like Antoine Watteau. This print, titled *Dessus de Clavecin Gravé’Après le Dessin Original Inventé par Gill* (ca. 1731–35), reproduces an original design he created for a harpsichord lid*dessus de clavecin*. Produced posthumously, it captures Gillot’s flair for whimsical, theatrical scenes often featuring commedia dell’arte figures, perfect for adorning the elegant musical instruments of 18th-century French salons. As an engraving, the medium allowed pr...