Ornamental Capital Designs
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-201-27
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Ornamental Capital Designs** Jean Berain the elder (French, 1640–1711), dated 1711, invites visitors into the opulent world of French decorative at the dawn of the Rococo era. This bound print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection features intricate designs for architectural capitals—the ornate tops of columns—purchased by the Advisory Council to enrich our holdings. Berain, a master designer for King Louis XIV's court, renowned for his elegant arabesques, grotesques, and scrolling motifs that adorned furniture, textiles, and architecture. Berain's work bridged the grandeur ...