Plan et Elevation d'un Cabinet du côté de la Cheminée
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-256-39
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Plan et Elevation d'un Cabinet du côté de la Cheminée *Juste-François Boucher, French, 1736–1782, 1774* This elegant 18th-century print by French artist Juste-François Boucher captures the refined world of neoclassical interior design. Titled *Plan et Elevation d'un Cabinet du côté la Cheminée*meaning "Plan and Elevation a Cabinet from the Chim Side"—it presents precise architectural drawings of a private cabinet, or study room, highlighting the fireplace wall. Created in 1774, during the late Rococo to early Neoclassical transition in France, the work reflects the era's fascination with harmonious, symmetrical spaces for collecting art, books, and curiosities among the elite. As a print, likely an engraving, Boucher's piece served as a model for architects, designers, and wealthy patrons, disseminating sophisticated decorative ideas across Europe. Boucher, active in Paris's vibrant artistic scene, contributed to the proliferation of such technical illustrations that influenced furnishings and room layouts. Though the exact medium awaits further research, its inclusion in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection underscores the transatlantic exchange of design aesthetics, bridging French opulence with emerging American tastes. Visitors will appreciate how this artifact reveals the intimate scale of 18th-century luxury, where every elevation evoked comfort and cultivation around the hearth—the heart of domestic life. (198 words)