Plate 3, "Decoration de cheminée pour un grand Apartement"

About this artwork

Research in Progress

Art Historical Context

This elegant print, Plate 3 from Jacques-François Blondel’s early work, presents a detailed design for a grand apartment fireplace, or “cheminée.” Created around 1727 when the French architect was just twenty-two, the image captures the refined taste of the early eighteenth century. Blondel, who would later become one of France’s most influential architectural theorists, here demonstrates his skill at blending sculptural ornament with functional domestic architecture. As a print, the work belonged to a tradition of design publications that allowed ideas to travel beyond aristocratic interiors...