The Bridge Under the High Road
17th century
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1896-31-36
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**The Bridge Under the High Road** Henri Mauperthé (French, ca. 1602–1686) Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, *The Bridge Under the High Road* is a captivating 17th-century print by French engraver Henri Mauperthé. This work likely depicts a scenic architectural vista—a bridge tucked beneath an elevated roadway—evoking the everyday engineering marvels of rural France during the Baroque era. Mauperthé, active in Paris, specialized in detailed topographic views, blending precise observation with artistic elegance to document landscapes and structures that defined t...