Fantastic Flower Motif from Nouvelle Suitte de Cahiers de Fleurs Idéales
late 18th century
Medium
nature studies
Classification
nature studies
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-1
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean-Baptiste Pillement, a French artist (1728–1808), was renowned for his exuberant Rococo designs that bridged painting and decorative arts. Active across Europe—from Portugal's royal workshops to English country estates—Pillement specialized in fantastical motifs inspired by nature. This *Fantastic Flower Motif*ails from his *Nouvelle Suitte deiers de Fleurs Idales* (New Suite of Notebooks of Ideal Flowers), late 18th-century of nature studies likely intended as pattern books for textiles, wallpapers, and furnishings. Pillement's flower renderings stand out for their imaginative asymmetry ...