Ornamental Vase Design
Medium
Bound print
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-504-10
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François Boucher, a of French Rococo art (1703–1770), created this *Ornamental Vase* between 1738 and 1772, capturing the exuberant elegance of 18th-century decorative arts. As the favored painter of Madame de Pompadour and King Louis XV, Boucher in whimsical, ornate motifs inspired by mythology, nature, and fantasy. This bound print likely originated from one of his design books, which circulated widely among craftsmen to inspire luxury goods like porcelain vases, silverware, and furniture during France's opulent Ancien Régime. The medium—a bound print—highlights a key Rococo innovation: the use of affordable, reproducible etchings and engravings to democratize high-style decoration. Boucher's intricate compositions, brimming with scrolling vines, playful figures, and gilded flourishes, embodied the era's love for asymmetry and sensuality, influencing manufactories like Sèvres porcelain. Though research on this specific piece is ongoing, it exemplifies how prints bridged fine art and applied design, shaping tastes across Europe. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, purchased by the Advisory Council, this work invites visitors to appreciate Rococo's joyful excess—a fleeting style that celebrated beauty amid pre-Revolutionary splendor. Imagine artisans in bustling workshops bringing Boucher's visions to life!