Pansy with hidden silhouettes

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate intrigue of *Pansy with Hidden Silhouettes* (1814–24), a hand-colored etching from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection. Measuring just 5 3/8 × 4 13/16 inches, this petite print masterfully blends floral beauty with clever concealment. At first glance, it's a vibrant pansy petal, its petals hand-tinted in soft purples, greens, and yellows—a technique that brought etchings to life with personal artistry during the early 19th century, making them affordable yet enchanting for collectors. Look closer, and silhouettes of Bourbon royalty emerge: Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, Duchesse de Berry; Charles Philippe, Comte d'Artois; Charles Ferdinand, Duke of Berry; Louis XVIII, King of France; and Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duc d'Angoulême. Created amid France's Bourbon Restoration (1814–1830), following Napoleon's defeat, this anonymous work likely served as subtle royalist propaganda. The pansy, or *pensée* ("thought" in French), symbolizes loyalty and remembrance, hiding profiles in its folds as a visual puzzle celebrating the restored monarchy. Such prints were cultural curiosities, blending botany, portraiture, and politics in a playful format. Donated through the Bequest of Mary Martin in 1938, it invites visitors to ponder: what secrets bloom in plain sight?

About the Artist

Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, duchesse de Berry|Anonymous|Charles Philippe, comte d'Artois|Charles Ferdinand Duke of Berry|Louis XVIII, King of France|Louis Antoine de Bourbon, Duc d'Angoulême (Italian| | |French|French|French) · 1798 | |1757 |1778 |1755 |1775 –1870 | |1836 |1820 |1824 |1844

| | |French, Versailles 1778–1820 Paris|French, Versailles 1755–1824 Paris|French, 1775–1844