Figure and Bough
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-238
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean-Baptiste Pillement (1728–1808), a versatile French Rococo artist, was renowned for his delicate landscapes, pastoral scenes, and intricate decorative designs that blended natural motifs with whimsical elegance. Active across Europe—from Portugal and England to Poland—Pillement's work epitomized the playful, ornate spirit of the Rococo movement, emphasizing flowing lines, foliage, and figures in harmonious communion with nature. *Figure and Bough*, a charming print from his oeuvre, likely captures this essence through its evocative title, suggesting a graceful human form intertwined with a...