Ostrich Rirders, Plate from a Set of Chinoiserie Representations
1770â1780
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-178
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean-Baptiste Pillement, a French Rococo artist (17281808), captures the whimsical spirit of 18th-century chinoiserie in *Ostrich Riders*, a plate from a larger set of decorative representations dated 1770–1780. Chinoiserie, a fanciful European adaptation of Chinese motifs, flourished during the Rococo era as aristocrats adorned their homes with exotic, playful imagery blending Eastern aesthetics with Western fantasy. Pillement, renowned for his intricate landscapes and ornamental designs, contributed to this trend through prints that served as models for wallpapers, textiles, and furnishings....