Medium
Bound print
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-282-53
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
François de Cuvilli the Elder (1695–1768), a Belgian-born architect and designer who thrived in Germany, was a master of the Rococo style during its European heyday. Active primarily in Munich under the Bavarian court, he crafted lavish interiors like the Amalienburg pavilion and the Cuvilliés Theater, blending asymmetry, scrolling motifs, and delicate elegance. His *Title Page* from 1745 exemplifies his role as a tastemaker, serving as the ornate frontispiece to a bound volume of prints—likely a pattern book disseminating his innovative designs for ornamentation, furniture, and architecture. ...