Ceiling Design with Nymph on Dolphin 19th century

This 19th-century design for a ceiling, currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, features a central oval framed by a series of square and rectangular panels. The central motif depicts a nymph riding a dolphin, a popular theme in classical art that symbolizes love, beauty, and the sea. The design's intricate borders and decorative elements, including floral motifs and swags, are characteristic of the Rococo style, which emerged in France in the early 18th century and emphasized elegance, grace, and asymmetry.