Table de Cabinet., 6th Plate [Study for a Table], pl. 47 in Oeuvre de Juste-Aurele Meissonnier

About this artwork

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Art Historical Context

The image shows two black-and-white engravings on a single page from a bound volume. The upper print depicts a compact cabinet table with gracefully curving legs, scrolling ornament, and a small covered vessel placed beneath its open frame. The lower print presents a more elaborate side table whose legs and apron are densely covered with shell-like forms, floral motifs, and central cartouches, all rendered with precise line work and subtle shading that suggests volume and depth. These studies appear as plate 47 in the 1748 publication Oeuvre de Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier. The Italian-born French designer was a leading figure in the development of the rococo style, and his engraved furniture designs circulated widely among craftsmen and patrons across Europe. The Smithsonian American Art Museum acquired this volume through its Advisory Council, preserving an important record of eighteenth-century decorative arts.