Preparatory Studies for Plates 90 and 91 of "Maisons de plaisance," Volume II
18th century
Medium
Red chalk over traces of black chalk. Horizontal black-chalk line at center, and round compass marks in black chalk on lower drawing
Dimensions
8 15/16 x 10 1/16 in. (22.7 x 25.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward Pearce Casey Fund, 1986
Accession Number
1986.1175.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the opulent world of18th-century French architecture, Jacques-François Blond (1705–177) stood as a pivotal figure, blending theory with practice in his influential treatises. This delicate preparatory drawing, created for Plates 90 and 91 in Volume II of *Maisons de plaisance* (Houses of Pleasure)—a lavish catalog of country villas and their decorative schemes—showcases Blondel's mastery of ornamentation. Published in the mid-1700s, the book disseminated neoclassical and rococo motifs to architects and designers across Europe, promoting harmonious designs for elite leisure estates. Rendere...