Page from a Scrapbook containing Drawings and Several Prints of Architecture, Interiors, Furniture and Other Objects 1795 - 1805

This is a page from a scrapbook containing drawings and prints of architecture, interiors, furniture, and other objects by Charles Percier, made sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Percier was a leading French architect and designer, known for his role in defining the Empire style. These sketches offer a glimpse into the visual culture of that time, reflecting the era’s fascination with classical forms and their adaptation to contemporary design. You can see motifs drawn from ancient Greece and Rome, like acanthus leaves and geometric patterns, used in renderings of furniture, wall decorations, and building facades. France was undergoing significant political and social change, and Percier's designs mirrored the aspirations of the new elite. The Empire style became a visual language of power and order. To understand Percier's work fully, one can consult archival materials like design books, period publications, and surviving examples of furniture and architecture. By understanding the social and institutional context, we gain a richer understanding of the art itself.