Kiosk Chinois, from Premier cayer de panneaux, frises et sujets arabesques 1788

This print, Kiosk Chinois, was made by François Marie Isidore Queverdo in the late 18th century, using etching and engraving techniques. The image is a riot of ornament, an elaborate fantasy of chinoiserie. But it’s important to remember that prints like this one were not created as artworks in themselves. They were produced to be used by other makers, as inspiration for the design of furniture, ceramics, and other decorative objects. In effect, Queverdo was producing designs for the luxury goods market. His prints helped fuel the 18th-century craze for all things Asian, even though the actual forms were far removed from anything genuinely Chinese. Consider all the labor required to bring these designs into being - not only Queverdo’s, but also that of the many artisans who translated his two-dimensional image into three-dimensional objects. It makes you wonder about the true cultural origins, and the economic implications, of this elaborate fantasy.