Frontispiece (mid to late 18th century, Met-Objekt 6391)
Original title: Frontispiece
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike related prints from the same series, this frontispiece by Jacques Gabriel Huquier does more than present a group of children: it joins them to a lettered panel in the lower section. The etching with engraving was made between the mid and late 18th century and opens the fifth book of children's groups after designs by François Boucher.
Description
Three winged putti are arranged in a lively, unstable stack: one squats on the shoulders of a second who stretches upward, while a third climbs down from behind. Delicate strokes suggest clouds or sky behind them. At the bottom lies a text panel with the title and the publisher's details.
Context
The sheet belongs to the series 'Cinquieme Livre de groupes d'enfans', whose designs come from François Boucher and which Huquier transferred to copper in Paris. Huquier was among the important French engravers of the 18th century and reproduced numerous works by Boucher. Such ornamental and decorative prints were made at the time for collectors and art lovers.
Impact
The putti appear light and playful, an effect the airy cloud setting reinforces. The fine handling of line gives the sheet an elegant, ornamental quality characteristic of Rococo printmaking.
Technique
Etching and engraving are combined here, as the fine lines and detailed drawing make clear. The sheet has been trimmed to 24.2 × 19 cm, which suggests later use or framing.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)