Arabesque Panel Design
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-396-32
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Arabesque Panel Design** by Juste-François Boucher (1736–1782), created between 1775 and 1788, exemplifies the elegant ornamental prints that graced late 18th-century French interiors. As the son of renowned Rococo master François Boucher, Juste-François carried forward his father's legacy of lavish decoration, blending fluid lines and intricate motifs in this classified print. Though the exact medium remains under study, such designs were typically etched or engraved, serving as blueprints for paneling, wallpaper, or furniture embellishments in aristocratic homes. Arabesques—swirling, inte...