Cartouche Design
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-270-12
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Pierre-Philippe Choffard (1730–1809) was a French printmaker and designer whose career spanned the later 18th century. This Cartouche Design, created around 1760–75, is a print that captures the refined ornamental spirit of the era. Cartouches served as decorative frames for inscriptions, emblems, or coats of arms, and Choffard’s version reflects the flowing, elaborate forms popular in French decorative arts at the time. Prints like this one played an important role in spreading artistic ideas. They provided models that architects, furniture makers, and other artisans could adapt, helping uni...