The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of July 20, 2026

A vertically oriented etching in black ink depicts a fountain formed of ornate, scrolling shells. At the center, a muscular man blows into a conch shell while water cascades behind him. Below him, a seated woman rests her head on her arm. From the left, a winged child reaches toward the pair. A snake-like creature curls in the lower basin. Fine cross-hatching creates texture, and French text appears at the bottom edge.

Book of Fountains: No. 2

c. 1736

Gabriel Huquier

(French, 1695–1772)

after François Boucher

(French, 1703–1770)
France, 18th century
etching
Gift of Erich Lederer 1953.672
Catalogue raisonné: Fonds Français 18tieme siecle XI.457.576-582
Location: Not on view

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.
  • D'Agliano, Andreina, Claudia Lehner-Jobst, Errol Manners, Jeffrey H. Munger, Rosalind Savill, Selma Schwartz, and Sylvain Deleu. Brittle Beauty: Reflections on 18th Century European Porcelain. [London?] : Ad Ilissum, 2023. Mentioned: p. 338; reproduced: p. 341, fig. 2
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art (07/16/2016-11/06/2016); Elegance and Intrigue: French Society in 18th-century Prints and Drawings.
  • {{cite web|title=Book of Fountains: No. 2|url=false|author=Gabriel Huquier, François Boucher|year=c. 1736|access-date=20 July 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1953.672