Eight Tailpiece Designs
1759â80
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-288-2
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Eight Tailpiece Designs** by Charles Eisen (French, 1720–1778) showcases the artist's skill as an engraver during the lavish Rococo era of mid-to-late 18th-century France. Created between 1759 and 1780, these prints feature decorative tailpieces—ornate vignettes traditionally placed at the end of book chapters or sections to provide visual closure. As a leading illustrator for Enlightenment-era publications, Eisen's designs likely reflect the playful, asymmetrical flourishes and intricate motifs characteristic of Rococo, blending fantasy with elegance. Though the medium remains unspecified,...