Design for the Decoration of a Ceiling, No. 9 from "Plafons a la Moderne"
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-171
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This print, Design for the Decoration of a Ceiling, No. 9 from "Plafons a la Moderne," was created around 1660 by the French artist Nicolas Pierre Loir. It belongs to a series of designs for "modern" ceilings, capturing the ornate spirit of 17th-century French interiors during the early years of Louis XIV's reign, when grand decorative schemes flourished in palaces and public buildings. Ceiling decoration held special importance in Baroque-era architecture, using painted or stuccoed elements to create illusionistic depth, architectural frames, and mythological or allegorical scenes that eleva...