Study for an Engraving of "Songs in the Opera of Flora"
ca. 1737
Medium
Pen and blue ink, black chalk
Dimensions
2 13/16 x 3 15/16 in. (7.2 x 10 cm.)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1944
Accession Number
44.54.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
Hubert François Gravelot, leading French Rococo artist and engraver active in 18th-century London, created this delicate *Study for an Engraving of " in the Opera of Flora around 1737.ot, known for his intricate book illustrations and theatrical designs, often prepared such studies as preparatory sketches for engravings that would adorn printed music sheets or opera librettos. This piece captures the lively world of Baroque opera culture, likely depicting male and female figures in pastoral or mythological scenes inspired by *Flora*, a popular opera-ballet celebrating the goddess of flowers an...
About the Artist
Hubert François Gravelot
Hubert-François Bourguignon, known as Gravelot (1699–1773), was a leading French Rococo engraver, illustrator, and designer whose elegant draftsmanship bridged the artistic worlds of France and England. Born in Paris to a tailor, he adopted his pseudonym from a godfather and grew up alongside his elder brother, the geographer Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville. After neglecting studies at the Col...