Fragments of an incomplete cartoon for cotton printing: La Course au Sanglier
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Bridget Mahon
Accession Number
1898-21-5-f
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Claude-Louis Desrais, a French artist born in 1746 and active until 1816, created this intriguing work in 1785. Classified as a drawing, the piece consists of fragments from an incomplete cartoon designed for cotton printing, titled “La Course au Sanglier” (“The Boar Hunt”). Such cartoons served as essential templates for transferring lively patterns onto fabric, a practice that flourished in 18th-century Europe as demand grew for affordable, decorative textiles featuring dramatic outdoor scenes. The subject—a vigorous boar hunt—captures the era’s fascination with movement and nature, themes ...