Plafonds met guirlandes en bladmotieven 1772 - 1779

Jean Pelletier made these designs for Plafonds met guirlandes en bladmotieven – ceilings with garlands and leaf motifs – sometime in the 18th century. This print would have been made through a process of etching, which is a skilled intaglio method using acid to ‘bite’ the image into a metal plate. What we see here is not an artwork in the conventional sense, but rather a design intended for reproduction, and ultimately, for architectural application. The lines are clean and precise, which is essential for the artisans who would then translate this drawing into physical form, most likely through plasterwork. Consider the labor that would have been involved. From the specialist knowledge of the etcher, to the plasterer’s craft, to the interior designer who would specify the work. The making of such interiors was a complex, collaborative process. This print gives us a window into that world.