Child with a dog, holding a basket of grapes, from Premier Livre de Figures d'après les porcelaines de la Manufacture Royale de France, inventées en 1757, par Mr. Boucher (First Book of Figures after porcelains from the Manufacture Royale de France, devised in 1757, by Mr. Boucher) 1757

Pierre Etienne Falconet created this print, “Child with a dog, holding a basket of grapes," after porcelains from the Manufacture Royale de France. The composition immediately draws our attention to the interplay between the textures and lines of the figures. Falconet’s use of fine lines creates volume and depth. Notice the soft curls of the child’s hair, which contrasts with the dog's fur and the woven texture of the basket, all achieved through subtle gradations of hatching and cross-hatching. The linear framework creates a sense of depth and perspective, highlighting the relationship between the figures and the pastoral background. The subject, derived from Boucher’s designs, touches on broader issues of representation and artificiality in 18th-century French art. The print flattens three-dimensional porcelain figures into a two-dimensional plane, transforming the ornate into accessible visual information. The print’s fine lines invite us to contemplate the interplay between art, craft, and the cultural values of the time. The image is not just a representation but also an example of the era’s complex dialogue between aesthetics and meaning.