Vaas met deksel op voet before 1703

Nicolas Robert made this drawing of a vase with a lid and base sometime in the 17th century. The French monarchy's influence on art is evident in the vase's elaborate ornamentation. It is likely that this drawing was made in connection to Robert’s work for the court. He became an official painter for the Duke of Orléans in 1664, where he was commissioned to produce paintings of plants and animals from the menagerie at the Château de Saint-Cloud. Robert was admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1666 and later became an official painter for the king. The vase’s classical forms and meticulous details speak to the Academy’s influence in standardizing artistic taste. By studying the archives of the French court, and the records of the Royal Academy we can learn more about the social conditions that made such exquisite artworks possible.