Titelblad: Alcoves à la Francoise 1678

Jean Lepautre created this print entitled, "Alcoves à la Francoise" sometime in the 17th century. Here, we see a proposal for a classically styled interior, complete with sculpture and a pastoral scene, made in France during the reign of Louis XIV. The print offers us insight into the intersection of art, power, and social life. The alcove, which you see here, was a semi-public space for receiving guests. It was an important element of elite social life in France at this time. Lepautre’s idealized design tells us about the values that informed those social rituals. The classical references in the artwork—in the architectural details, the figure’s dress, and the pastoral scene—evoke the authority of the ancient world, lending an air of dignity and refinement to this imagined interior. Lepautre was employed by the French court. His work can be understood as an expression of its cultural values. To understand this print better, we might look to treatises on architecture and design from the period. We could also look at the history of the French court and the social rituals that took place there. Art, after all, is always made in a specific time and place.