Rien de trop (Nothing in Excess)
published 1756
Medium
hand-colored etching
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Ware
Accession Number
1975.81.24
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of, where *Rien de trop ( in Excess)*, a hand-colored etching published in 1756, invites reflection on timeless wisdom. Created by engraver Pierre Etienne Moitte a design by the celebrated French Rococo artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry (6–1755), this print captures the elegance of 18th-century French decorative arts. Oudry, renowned for his lively animal scenes and illustrations for La Fontaine's fables, often infused moral lessons with Rococo charm—playful yet refined, blending naturalism with whimsy. The title draws from the ancient Greek Delphic maxim "Nothing in ...