Rocaille Cartouche Designs
mid- 18th century
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-317-59
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Franz Xaver Habermann a prolific German printmaker active in Augsburg during the 18th century1721–1796), created these *Rocaille Cartouche Designs* the mid-1700s. As part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection, this print exemplifies the ornate Rococo style that swept Europe, blending French elegance with German craftsmanship. Habermann specialized in decorative prints, producing intricate designs that architects, craftsmen, and interior decorators could adapt for furniture, walls, and silverwork. Rocaille motifs—derived from shell-like forms (rocaille in French)—feature the style'...