Griffioen en hurkende jongen 1820

This collection of drawings on paper was made by Pierre-Nicolas Beauvallet, a French sculptor, in the late 18th or early 19th century. Beauvallet’s drawings reflect the Neoclassical style that dominated European art at the time. Notice the griffins, classical motifs, and restrained ornamentation. Neoclassicism was closely tied to the political and social ideals of the Enlightenment, emphasizing reason, order, and a return to the perceived purity of ancient Greek and Roman art. Artists like Beauvallet were interested in creating a new visual language that communicated civic virtue. The study of classical forms was central to academic artistic training during this period, and artists would often create drawings like these as part of their education. Historians rely on archival research, including letters, journals, and institutional records, to understand the social context in which art is produced and consumed. These drawings can tell us much about the artistic values of Beauvallet’s time.