Deur met medaillon 1772 - 1779

Jean Pelletier made this print of a door with a medallion in ink on paper sometime in the 1700s. Architectural prints like this one were popular among the upper classes in France, who prided themselves on their refined taste. Note the classical features: the symmetrical panels, the repeating geometric patterns, and the laurel wreath around the portrait medallion. These elements evoke the art of ancient Greece and Rome, which was fashionable at the time. We might ask, why were elites so eager to associate themselves with the distant past? Perhaps because it gave their wealth and power a sense of historical legitimacy. Or maybe because they believed that these classical forms embodied timeless ideals of beauty and order. As historians, we can use prints like this to explore the social and cultural values of the past. By looking at the visual details and considering the historical context, we can gain a deeper understanding of what this door meant to the people who lived with it.