Frieze, from "Chasses et Feuillages"
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-94-3
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean Le Pautre (1618–1682), a prominent French engraver, designer, and architect, created this elegant *Frieze, from "Chasses etuillages"* in 1663. Working during the opulent reign of Louis XIV Le Pautre was renowned for his intricate ornamental prints that blended Baroque exuberance with classical restraint. This print, part of a series evoking "Hunts and Foliage likely features decorative motifs of hunting scenes intertwined with lush foliage—hallmarks of 17th-century French decorative arts meant for architects, craftsmen, and nobility. As an etching or engraving, the medium allowed Le Paut...