Tabernakel op altaar c. 1666 - 1693

Jean Lepautre made this print of a tabernacle altar, we don’t know exactly when, using etching. The image is constructed entirely from lines incised into a copper plate, which then would have been inked and printed onto paper. Look closely, and you'll notice the crisp precision of these lines, creating areas of light and shadow. This was a design meant to inspire; architects and artisans would have relied on these images to create lavish interiors. The print shows off Lepautre's facility with ornament. The altar is a riot of classical motifs, all rendered through repetitive, skilled labor. Prints like this were fundamental to the expansion of European cultural influence, and in the standardization of taste. It is a fascinating insight into the world of seventeenth-century design. Considering the materials and processes used, we can appreciate not only the design itself, but also the wider social and cultural context in which it was made.