Ontwerp voor een dekseldoos c. 1760 - 1780

This is Luigi Valadier’s pen and brush drawing design for a lidded box. Note the classical egg-and-dart motif bordering the edges. These small, ovular forms, alternating with pointed, dart-like shapes, are not merely decorative. We see echoes of this motif dating back to ancient Greece, adorning temples and public buildings, where it symbolized life and death, presence and absence. The egg, an emblem of birth and renewal, juxtaposed with the dart, evokes mortality and transience. Observe how this symbol transcends its original context, resurfacing throughout history. From Roman friezes to Renaissance furniture, the egg-and-dart speaks to our enduring fascination with the cyclical nature of existence. Here, in Valadier's design, it lends a sense of timelessness, linking the object to a rich visual heritage. This motif, charged with the weight of cultural memory, taps into something deeply rooted in our collective consciousness.