Sense of Sight
mid- 17th century
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1938-46-3
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Sense of Sight** by Paul Scarron, a French artist from the vibrant mid-17th century, captures the Baroque era's fascination with the human senses through allegorical representation. Created during a time when France was a cultural powerhouse under Louis XIII and the early reign of Louis XIV, Scarron's work reflects the period's emphasis on sensory experience in art, often symbolizing sight with attributes like eyes, mirrors, or gazing figures. As part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, this piece invites visitors to ponder how 17th-century artists personified abstract conce...