Vaas in cartouche c. 1650 - 1664

Jean Le Pautre created this print, "Vaas in cartouche," during the Baroque period when French society was rigidly structured by class, with the aristocracy enjoying immense privilege and power. Enclosed in an ornate cartouche alive with figures, foliage and a draped curtain, sits an elaborate vase. This composition, rich with classical figures and formal gardens, reflects the values of the aristocracy, their love of display and power. Le Pautre, working during the reign of Louis XIV, catered to the tastes of the French court, producing designs that celebrated luxury and grandeur. But the print also hints at underlying tensions, as the opulence of the aristocracy stood in stark contrast to the lives of the common people, who often faced poverty and hardship. The contrast is both breathtaking and, perhaps, unsettling. The idealized figures and landscapes mask the social and economic realities of 17th-century France.