Artwork Page for Inventor of Greek Figures, Plate 10

Details / Information for Inventor of Greek Figures, Plate 10

Series Title: Mascarade à la Grecque

Inventor of Greek Figures, Plate 10

1771

Benigno Bossi

(Italian, 1727–1792)

after Ennemond Alexandre Petitot

(French, 1727-1801)
View all records in artwork set
Culture
Italy, 18th century
Medium
etching with stipple and engraving
Measurements
Image: 23.8 x 16.7 cm (9 3/8 x 6 9/16 in.); Plate: 27 x 18.4 cm (10 5/8 x 7 1/4 in.); Sheet: 41.9 x 28.1 cm (16 1/2 x 11 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Print Club of Cleveland in memory of Louise S. Richards 2014.6.11
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

Ennemond Alexandre Petitot was an architect and stage designer who often incorporated classicized elements into his designs.

Description

Poking fun at the vogue for classical antiquities that gripped Enlightenment Europe, French architect Ennemond Alexandre Petitot portrayed himself as an elaborately dressed Greek statue in a drawing on which this print is likely based. The popularization of classical elements and motifs in fine and decorative arts during this period was known as the goût grec, or "Greek taste." Revered for its perceived simplicity and grandeur, ancient Greek art was believed to reflect the physical health and moral character of that civilization. Here reproduced by engraver Benigno Bossi, Petitot’s design whimsically parodies the artist and his time, transforming the elegance and sobriety of classical Greece into the excess and extravagance of the 1700s.

Inventor of Greek Figures, Plate 10

1771

Benigno Bossi, Ennemond Alexandre Petitot

(Italian, 1727–1792), (French, 1727-1801)
Italy, 18th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.