Plate from a Set of Chinoiserie Representations
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1920-36-179
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This exquisite plate, part of a set of *Chinoiserie Representations by French artist Jean-Baptiste Pillement (172–1808), dates to 1780–1790 and showcases the print medium's role in disseminating decorative designs. Pillement, a master of the Rococo style, was renowned for his intricate landscapes, tapestries, and whimsical of Eastern motifs, blending European elegance with imagined Chinese aesthetics. Chinoiserie flourished in 18th-century Europe as a playful fantasy of the exotic "Orient," adorning furniture, wallpapers, and porcelain for aristocratic homes. Pillement's prints, likely etched...