Titelblad: Nouueau Liure de Cartouches et Ornemens c. 1682 - 1734

Jean Lepautre created this title page for a book of cartouches and ornaments, sometime in the mid-17th century. The work exemplifies the French Baroque style, blending classical motifs with extravagant decorative elements. Lepautre's print reflects the cultural and political climate of France under Louis XIV, a period marked by the consolidation of royal power and the promotion of French artistic and cultural dominance. Institutions like the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture played a key role in standardizing artistic taste and promoting a unified national style. The print, with its elaborate ornamentation and references to royal patronage, speaks to the close relationship between art and power during this era. By examining archival sources, such as period treatises on design, inventories of royal collections, and records of the Académie Royale, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and institutional context in which Lepautre operated and how his work contributed to the construction of French cultural identity.