LES TROIS FONTAINES
1672–1703
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-533-117
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Adam Perelle’s “ Trois Fontaines” offers a glimpse into the refined of 17th-century French printmaking. Created between 1672 and 1703 by the Paris-born artist (1638–1695), this engraving captures elegance of formal garden design through precise line work and balanced composition. Prints like one played a vital role in documenting and sharing architectural and landscape across Europe long before existed. As a medium, engraving allowed artists to reproduce intricate scenes with remarkable detail, making grand estates and ornamental fountains accessible to a wider audience. Perelle specialized i...