Design for the Decoration of Firearms
ca. 1797–1805
Medium
Pencil, ink, gray wash on paper
Dimensions
1 1/8 x 1 3/4 in. (2.9 x 4.5 cm)
Classification
Works on Paper-Drawings
Culture
French, Versailles
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Clay P. Bedford Gift, 2004
Accession Number
2004.101.28
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing by Nicolas Noël Boutet captures the refined artistry behind French firearm decoration during the turbulent years bridging the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era. Created in Versailles around 1797–1805, the small sheet—measuring just over an inch wide—serves as a preparatory design for ornate gun embellishments. Boutet, director of the renowned Versailles arms manufactory, oversaw the production of luxury weapons that blended precision engineering with lavish ornament. Rendered in pencil, ink, and gray wash, the work highlights the meticulous techniques used to tran...
About the Artist
Nicolas Noël Boutet · 1761–1833
French, Versailles and Paris, 1761–1833