Twee voetstukken en een zuil 1772 - 1779

Nicolas Dupin created this print called, "Two pedestals and a column," in France in the late 1700s. Architectural drawings like this one, with its precise lines and measurements, were typical products of the French Enlightenment, a period that valued reason and order. The image shows three classical pedestals, each slightly different, yet sharing similar decorative motifs. These designs reflect the revival of classical forms that was popular in Europe at the time, and the pedestals themselves would have been seen in the homes of the aristocracy. Their clean lines and balanced proportions were a deliberate departure from the more ornate styles of the preceding Baroque era, a change driven by an increasingly powerful middle class. Art historians consult pattern books, architectural treatises, and social histories to understand the cultural values that underpinned the design and use of objects like these. Only through a deep understanding of social conditions can we fully appreciate the meaning and significance of art from any period.