Little girl holding a garland of flowers, from Deuxième Livre de Figures d'après les porcelaines de la Manufacture Royale de France (Second Book of Figures after porcelains from the Manufacture Royale de France) 1757 - 1771

Pierre François Tardieu made this print, Little Girl Holding a Garland of Flowers, as part of a series reproducing designs made at the Manufacture Royale de France. It's made using etching and engraving, processes that involve painstakingly incising lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed. These prints were not just artworks in their own right; they were also advertisements for the porcelain factory. The factory itself was an engine of production, employing skilled artisans to create luxury goods for the aristocracy and emerging bourgeoisie. The garland of flowers held by the girl echoes the delicate floral motifs often found on porcelain. It reminds us of the artistry involved in both printmaking and porcelain production. Consider the labor involved, from the engraver meticulously cutting lines into the metal plate, to the porcelain painter carefully applying pigments onto a vase. In this context, even a seemingly innocent image of a child becomes a window into the complex world of 18th-century manufacturing, commerce, and the intimate connection between art and industry.