Title Page of the Song "La Rêveuse" by Gaston de Roausset Baulbon with Music by Paul de Lourefourix
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1931-72-6
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Smithsonian American Art, where we spotlight *Title Page of the Song " Rêveuse"* (ca. 1850), a charming lithographic print by French artist Adol Mouilleron (182–1881). Created as the decorative frontispiece for a romantic parlor song—lyrics by Gaston de Roset Baulbon and by Paul de Lourefrix—this piece captures the dreamy essence "The Dreamer," popular theme in mid-19th France. Mouilleron, a skilled illustrator active during the Romantic era, excelled in producing intricate prints for books, sheet music, and periodicals. Lithography, the likely medium here, allowed for detailed, tonal imagery that mimicked drawings, making these title pages both affordable and alluring for middle-class homes. Such ephemera transformed everyday sheet music into collectible art, blending visual poetry with melody to evoke nostalgia and sentimentality. Though research continues, this print offers a window into the cultural vibrancy of 1850s Paris, where illustrated songs fueled salon gatherings and amateur musicianship. Imagine a dreamer lost in reverie—its delicate lines remind us how art and music intertwined to enchant everyday life.