LE BASSIN DE BACCHUS

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

Adam Perelle’s “Le Bassin de Bacchus” captures the elegance of French formal gardens during the reign of Louis XIV. Active from the late seventeenth into the early eighteenth century, Perelle specialized in detailed prints of royal estates, parks, and fountains. His works helped spread images of France’s grandest landscapes across Europe at a time when garden design was a powerful expression of royal authority and classical taste. The title refers to a fountain basin dedicated to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, a popular motif in seventeenth-century French garden sculpture. Although the precise medium remains unrecorded, the print’s crisp lines and balanced composition reflect the period’s refined engraving techniques. Created between 1672 and 1703, the image likely records a feature of Versailles or a similar royal domain, preserving the harmony of architecture, water, and sculpture that defined the era. Now part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, the print offers today’s visitors a window into the visual culture that shaped European ideas of beauty and order. Acquired through the Advisory Council, it stands as a quiet testament to the enduring appeal of these historic landscapes.