Trophies with Attributes of Love and Bacchus
ca. 1778–1782
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-622
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
In the late 18th century, French artist Richard de Lalonde crafted intricate designs for the decorative arts during the elegant Louis XVI period, a time of refined opulence just before the French Revolution. *Trophies with Attributes of Love and Bacchus*, created around 1778–1782, exemplifies his specialty in ornamental prints—likely engravings meant as models for furniture makers, silversmiths, and interior decorators. As a print from this era, it served as a practical blueprint, disseminating sophisticated motifs across workshops and influencing the neoclassical taste for symmetry and classi...