# 4 From " Livre sencond essais de gravjre " second book of Engraved designs
c. 1703
Medium
etching and engraving
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of William Ellery Greene for the Lucy S. Greene Collection
Accession Number
1963.562
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
This etching is from a set of prints showcasing decorative patterns by Bourdon. The title page for the set explains that the designs are “useful for clockmakers, goldsmiths, chiselers, engravers and other people.” These craftsmen who made ornamented objects sometimes consulted printed designs for inspiration. However, pattern prints similar to Bourdon’s also catered to aristocrats and wealthy professionals who pursued knowledge about artists and current styles.
About the Artist
Pierre Bourdon (French)
Georges Hugnet (1906–1974) was a multifaceted French artist, poet, writer, and critic whose innovative collages and graphic works bridged Dada and Surrealism. Born in Paris on July 11, 1906, he spent much of his early childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, returning to France around 1913. His early life and artistic training remain sparsely documented, with no records of formal art school attendanc...