Juwelendozen en oorbellen 1784 - 1796

Jean Baptiste Fay created this drawing of jewelry boxes and earrings with pen in brown and gray ink and brush in gray ink. Notice how the objects are laid out against a plain background. The composition draws our eye to the arrangement of circles, ovals, and rectangles that structure the page. The diagrammatic layout, devoid of perspective or shadow, reduces each object to its essential form. The rigorous frontality and symmetry create a sense of order, characteristic of Fay's practice, which often presents design elements in a clear, rational manner. Fay’s technique invites us to consider the semiotic dimensions of these designs; the visual language that they create through the structural interplay of shapes and the suggestion of depth through shading. The arrangement embodies a philosophy where form not only follows function but also communicates cultural values.