Design for a Pen and Ink Stand with a Cupid and Two Ink Wells
19th century
Medium
Pen and gray ink, brush and gray, yellow, brown, and black wash; framing lines in pen and black ink
Dimensions
sheet: 11 1/4 x 17 5/8 in. (28.5 x 44.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.50.169
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 19th-century French, created anonymously, presents a whimsical design for a pen and ink stand adorned with the playful figure of Cupid flanked by two ink wells.ed in pen and gray ink with brush and gray, yellow, brown, and black, plus framing lines in pen and ink, the sheet measures11 1/4 x 17 5/8 inches. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints as part of The Elisha Whittelsey Collection (acquired via The Elisha Whittelsey Fund in1949), it exemplifies ornate ornament and architecture sketches that fueled Europe's decorative arts scene. In the 19th century, amid the rise of neoclassicism and romanticism, designers often drew inspiration from classical mythology—like the mischievous Cupid—to embellish everyday writing implements. These functional yet luxurious desk accessories reflected the era's fascination with blending utility and fantasy, catering to the growing bourgeois taste for personalized home offices. The mixed-media technique, with its subtle washes for depth and texture, allowed artists to vividly convey metallic sheen, shadows, and intricate details, bridging the gap between two-dimensional sketch and three-dimensional object. This anonymous gem highlights the unsung skill of French draftsmen, whose precise renderings influenced silversmiths and cabinetmakers, turning mundane tools into symbols of wit and elegance. Imagine Cupid overseeing your correspondence—a charming nod to love's enduring role in daily life!
About the Artist
Anonymous, French, 19th century · 1800–1900
**Anonymous, French, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, French, 19th century embodies the enigmatic yet essential contributions of unidentified creators to France's vibrant 19th-century art world. Active roughly between 1800 and 1900, this figure—or potentially collective workshop—produced a diverse array of works amid the nation's transition from Neoclassicism thro...