Bound print
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-538-106
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Bound Print** by Jean Mariette (French, 1660–1742), dated 1727, invites visitors to explore the elegant world of 18th-century French printmaking at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Acquired through purchase by the Museum's Advisory Council, this belongs to the Smithsonian Collection and is classified as "bound print," indicating it was likely preserved within a volume or album—a popular method among collectors to protect and organize fine prints during the period. Mariette, active amid France's Regency era following the reign of Louis XIV, contributed to the thriving trade in prints that spread artistic innovation across Europe. While the specific medium awaits further research (noted as "Research in Progress"), bound prints like this one played a key role in art dissemination, allowing reproductions of paintings, drawings, or designs to reach wider audiences without the fragility of loose sheets. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this piece underscores the global exchanges that influenced early American artistic traditions. Ongoing scholarship promises to uncover more about its techniques and cultural resonance, making it a captivating highlight for print enthusiasts.