LE BASIN DE LATONE
ca. 1670â1687
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-533-106
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Le Bassin de Latone is a captivating print by French engraver Adam Perelle (16381695), created around 1670–1687. Perelle, renowned for his intricate topographic views, likely captured the grandeur of the Latona Basin in the Gardens of Versailles—a monumental fountain depicting the mythological tale of Latona, mother of Apollo and Diana, transforming peasants into frogs. This work exemplifies the Baroque era's emphasis on spectacle and symmetry, reflecting Louis XIV's vision of absolute monarchy through landscape architecture designed by André Le Nôtre. Produced during Versailles' transforma...