Design for the Decoration of Firearms 1772 - 1830

Nicolas Noël Boutet designed this ornament for firearms with graphite on paper. The design features stylized foliage and a central oval motif. This oval, reminiscent of an eye or perhaps a seed, is framed by radiating lines like sunbeams or perhaps a spider's web. Consider the ancient Egyptian symbol of the 'Eye of Ra', representing power, protection, and royal authority. This motif of an oval radiating outwards finds echoes across different cultures and eras, symbolizing divine watchfulness, enlightenment, or even the cycle of life and death. Here, on a design for weaponry, it evokes a sense of protection and accuracy, perhaps meant to instill confidence in the user, engaging on a deep, subconscious level with primal needs for safety and control. The convergence of natural and abstract forms into a single design emphasizes the cyclical progression of symbols through time. These forms resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.