Orfèvre Grossier, Ouvrages
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-344-1
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This 1762 print by French artist J.R. Lucotte (1733–1784), titled *Orfèvre Grossier, Ouvrages*, captures a moment in the rich tradition of 18th-century European craft illustration. Produced during the Enlightenment, when curiosity about trades, science, and the decorative arts flourished, the work likely depicts goldsmithing—suggested by the title’s reference to a goldsmith and finished pieces. Lucotte created it as a young artist in a France alive with intellectual exchange and technical innovation. As a print, it belongs to a medium that allowed detailed images of workshops, tools, and luxu...