Plan et Elévation d’une Alcove dont la traverse est d’un ceintre en S. pour le plan / Plan et Elévation d’une Alcove, dont la porte ouvre en anse de panier sous le Chambranle
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-274-15
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This print by F. Cornille, active from 1740 to 1756, presents precise plans and elevations of alcoves—recessed architectural niches that added both function and elegance to 18th-century interiors. Created around 1740–55, the work illustrates two designs: one with an S-shaped curve in its supporting traverse and another featuring a door that opens in a graceful basket-handle arch beneath the frame. Such alcoves were popular features in homes of the period, often serving as intimate spaces for beds or seating while allowing for decorative flourishes that enhanced a room’s character. As a print,...