Panel Design
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-296-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Claude-Louis Desrais created this elegant Panel Design in 1789, during a pivotal moment in French history. Born in 1746, Desrais worked as a draftsman and printmaker whose designs often reflected the refined tastes of late eighteenth-century France. The print’s title suggests it served as a model for decorative panels, possibly intended for furniture, walls, or interiors, where such patterns helped shape the visual language of domestic spaces. As a print rather than a unique painting or drawing, the work highlights the importance of reproductive techniques in disseminating artistic ideas acro...