Livre d'architecture, contenant les principes généraux de cet art, et les plans, élévations et profils de quelques-uns des bâtimens faits en France et dans les pays étrangers, par le sieur Boffrand
Classification
albums (bound) & books
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-543-1
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Germain Boffrand (7–1754), a leading French architect of the Rococo era, this *Livre d'architecture* 1745, a comprehensive bound book that distills the "general principles of this art." As a sieur (a title denoting nobility or prominence), Boffrand drew from his extensive career designing palaces and public buildings, blending theoretical insights with practical designs. Published during the Enlightenment's embrace of reason and symmetry, the volume reflects the era's fascination with codified knowledge, bridging artistic flourish and rational planning. The book features detailed plans, eleva...