Freizes
1650â60
Classification
ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-92-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Jean Le Pautre (1618–1682), a prominent French designer and engraver of the Baroque era, created *Freizes* around 1650–60, a time when opulent ornamentation defined French decorative arts under the early reign of Louis XIV. Le Pautre was renowned for his intricate designs inspired by classical antiquity and Italian Renaissance motifs, blending scrolling foliage, mythical figures, and architectural elements into harmonious friezes—continuous bands used to adorn walls, ceilings, and furniture. These works exemplify the *grosse manière* style, a grand, theatrical approach to ornament that influen...