Artwork Page for No. 1: Title Page

Details / Information for No. 1: Title Page

Series Title: Book of Fountains, Recueil de Fontaines

No. 1: Title Page

c. 1736

Gabriel Huquier

(French, 1695–1772)

after François Boucher

(French, 1703–1770)
Culture
France, 18th century
Medium
etching
Credit Line
Gift of Erich Lederer 1953.671
Catalogue raisonné
Fonds Français 18eme siecle XI.457.576-582
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

Boucher was one of the most prolific designers of ornament prints. With their aquatic motifs and gracefully curving and scalloped forms, these designs for fantastic, even bizarre fountains perfectly illustrate the whimsical Rococo approach. Derived from the French word for shell, rocaille, the Rococo was a light, playful style filled with shell motifs (which stemmed in part from a vogue for collecting shells), naturalistic curves, scrolls, and plant forms.
A vertically oriented print in black ink depicts an ornate, swirling cartouche containing French text. To our left, a nude winged child figure stands with their back turned, reaching into leafy branches. To our right, another nude winged child figure reclines on a stone pedestal holding an arrow. Behind the cartouche, a tall, pointed pillar and dense foliage rise. French inscriptions appear along the bottom edge below an architectural base.

No. 1: Title Page

c. 1736

Gabriel Huquier, François Boucher

(French, 1695–1772), (French, 1703–1770)
France, 18th century

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