Design for a Frieze with Putti and Garland (related to the Arc du Carrousel) 1806 - 1808

This is a design for a frieze with putti and garland, likely dating to the early 19th century, created with graphite on paper. Although the artist is unknown, the drawing embodies the values of Neoclassicism, a style that took inspiration from classical antiquity. Notice how the design is rendered with meticulous precision and attention to detail, reflecting a return to classical principles. While the drawing itself is a relatively straightforward process, the design hints at something larger: the Arc du Carrousel in Paris, a triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate his military victories. The frieze would have been carved from stone through strenuous manual labor. Its crisp edges and forms would have been demanding work for skilled stone carvers. This drawing is not simply a design; it's a blueprint for an object that celebrates power, victory, and empire, and a reminder that even the most refined artwork is always the result of a complex social and economic process.