Desseins de Brasiers dont les Ornements peuuent Seruir aux Cuuettes, Tables, et autres Ouurages d'Orfeurerie, Plate 3 1660 - 1713

This print was made by Alexis Loir in the late 17th, early 18th century, using etching, on laid paper. The design shows various ornamental motifs which could be applied to metalwork. Two braziers are supported by figures, surrounded by decorative elements such as cherubs and animal forms. The etching process itself—acid biting into a metal plate—allowed for detailed and precise lines, essential for conveying the intricacies of the proposed designs. The print served as a template, mediating the artist's vision and the skilled labor required to transform it into a three-dimensional object. The proposed objects would have signified wealth and status, intended for a life of display within aristocratic settings. Ultimately, this print embodies the dynamic between design and production, ideas and materials, and the social context in which objects acquire meaning.