ATTRIBUTS D’ASTRONOMIE
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-294-6
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean-Charles Delafosse, a French artist who lived from 1734 to 1789, produced this print titled Attributs d'Astronomie around 1772 to 1777. Working in a period of transition toward Neoclassicism, Delafosse was known for his ornamental designs that combined elegance with intellectual themes drawn from history, mythology, and the sciences. As a print, this artwork would have been reproduced and shared widely, serving as inspiration for decorative schemes in architecture and interiors. The title suggests a composition of symbolic objects associated with astronomy, reflecting the Enlightenment's enthusiasm for scientific exploration and the cosmos. Such works highlight how art served to educate and delight, bridging aesthetic beauty with the pursuit of knowledge. This piece, purchased for the Smithsonian American Art Museum by the Advisory Council, stands as a testament to 18th-century French ingenuity. It invites museum visitors to consider the ways in which artists like Delafosse visualized the wonders of the universe through the refined language of printmaking.