Designs for the Decoration of the Frizzen and Jaws of the Cock of a Firearm 1772 - 1830

Nicolas Noël Boutet created these designs for firearm decoration with pen and black ink. Note the prevalence of cherubic figures and classical motifs. In the top design, two cherubs flank what appears to be a chalice—a vessel often associated with divinity, sacrifice, and purification. This motif, steeped in religious and classical undertones, echoes across time. Consider the ubiquitous presence of winged figures throughout renaissance painting, symbols of divine messengers, or the enduring image of the Holy Grail. The lower designs feature heraldic animals, their forms intertwined, symbolizing power and dominion. These zoomorphic representations, emblems of strength, are strikingly similar to ancient Mesopotamian art, where animals were guardians of temples and conveyed status. This continuity of symbols reveals how cultural memories are embedded in our collective unconscious. We see these forms and respond, subconsciously recognizing their power.