Design thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case SB5, Shelf SH6

Design

ca.1740-1745 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Printed geometrical pattern for a box lid. This is a copperplate engraving made for the private use of goldsmiths. It could serve as an aid to producing further designs by modification in pencil, or could be used as a base to try out enamel or gold colours. It could also be shown to potential customers. This print was made by an anonymous designer in the early 1740s and it is from an album of designs, which date from about 1735-1820, and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached).

There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre-François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Copperplate engraving on paper
Brief description
Design form album of designs by Ouizille, French, eighteenth century.
NOT TO BE ISSUED WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM THE HEAD OF DESIGNS
Physical description
Geometrical pattern for a box lid.
Dimensions
  • Height: 11.4cm
  • Width: 9.2cm
Credit line
Purchased with the assistance of Wartski Limited
Production
Attribution note: This is a copperplate engraving made for the private use of goldsmiths. It could serve as an aid to producing further designs by modification in pencil, or could be used as a base to try out enamel or gold colours. It could also be shown to potential customers.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Printed geometrical pattern for a box lid. This is a copperplate engraving made for the private use of goldsmiths. It could serve as an aid to producing further designs by modification in pencil, or could be used as a base to try out enamel or gold colours. It could also be shown to potential customers. This print was made by an anonymous designer in the early 1740s and it is from an album of designs, which date from about 1735-1820, and includes those for snuffboxes, scent holders, watches and watch cases, spoons, fans and fan mounts, small swords, and chatelaines (ornamental chains, pins, or clasps usually worn at a woman's waist, to which trinkets, keys, purses, or other articles are attached).

There is a close relationship between the contents of the album and known work by three Parisian goldsmiths, Jean Ducrollay (1710-1787), Pierre-François Drais (active 1761-1788), and Charles Ouizille (1744-1830) whose names appear on the first page of the album. This suggests that all the designs emanate from their workshops. Drais worked for the Court at Versailles as jeweller to both King Louis XV and Louis XVI. Ouizille worked in this capacity for Louis XVI. Most of the material dates from the period 1755-90.
Bibliographic reference
Heike Zech, 'Designs for Gold Boxes in the Album of the Workshop of Jean Ducrollay and his Successors', in Going for Gold: craftsmanship and collecting of gold boxes, ed. Tessa Murdoch and Heike Zech (Sussex academic press, 2014).
Collection
Accession number
E.897:89-1988

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdMay 31, 2006
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest