Drie plafonds 1820

Charles Pierre Joseph Normand made this print of ceiling designs sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries, using etching or engraving. These are relatively accessible printmaking methods. The materials used are modest: a copper plate, some acid, ink, and paper. What is interesting is the relationship between this humble process and the image it creates. We see three ornate, neoclassical ceiling designs which would have been executed in plaster by highly skilled artisans. Each design features a central medallion surrounded by geometric and floral motifs, demanding considerable labor to produce in three dimensions. Prints like this one helped disseminate artistic ideas, connecting the world of design with the skilled labor required to bring those ideas to life. This reminds us that even the most rarefied expressions of taste are dependent on a network of makers. The final form blurs the distinction between art and craft.