Design for a Book Illustration 1740 - 1803

Franz Sigrist’s *Design for a Book Illustration* (1740-1803) is a pen and wash drawing that depicts a scene with a crowned figure seated on a throne and other figures standing and kneeling around them. The work, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is an example of the rococo style popular in 18th-century Europe. The delicate lines and soft shading of the drawing capture the elegance and grace associated with the rococo style. The scene appears to be a representation of justice, perhaps depicting a ruler upholding the law, and the drawing’s small size is characteristic of the intimate scale of rococo artwork. This drawing would have likely been a preparatory sketch for a book illustration, reflecting the importance of decorative elements in the rococo period.