Plafond met vazen en adelaars 1784 - 1785

This line engraving of a ceiling design, featuring vases and eagles, was made by C. Le Meunnié. Without a date, its social context is difficult to establish, but we can still make some educated guesses about its role. The print testifies to the institutional organisation of the arts in the 18th century. We can see the names of the printmakers inscribed at the bottom, suggesting this was a collaborative project, perhaps involving the Académie Royale. The inclusion of eagles and urns suggests the symbolic language of political power and the decorative arts. Architectural prints like this offer a glimpse into the aspirational world of the European elite, and how they sought to legitimize their rule through the arts. For a fuller picture, we might look to archival resources such as membership lists of the Académie Royale, books of ornament, and other prints of the period. Only then can we begin to understand the social and institutional context of this intriguing print.