Design for a Trophy
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-269-1
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This print, titled *Design for a Trophy*, created by French artist Mathurin Cherpitel 1755 and 8, when he was a young man in his late teens to early thirties. Born in 1736,pitel worked during a vibrant period of French decorative arts, and this work reflects the era’s fascination with ornate, symbolic motifs. As a print, it demonstrates how artists used reproducible techniques to share intricate designs with a wider audience of architects, craftsmen, and collectors. In 18th-century France, a “trophy” often referred to an elegant arrangement of objects—such as weapons, instruments, or emblems ...