Various Types of Ployants and Their Development
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-672
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Created in 1770 by French cabinetmaker and author André-Jacques Roubo (9–1791), *Various Types of Ploy and Their Development* is meticulously detailed print from his seminal multi-volume treatise *L'Art du menuis* (*The Art of the Cabinet*). This work, published during the Enlightenment, revolutionized woodworking by documenting intricate techniques with unprecedented precision, serving as both an instructional manual and a celebration of craftsmanship for apprentices and masters alike. The print illustrates different varieties of *ployants*—folding trestle tables or supports essential to 18t...