French School L'autone Cornucopia Decorative Ornament

An original pre 18th-century chalk drawing, French School, L'autone Cornucopia Decorative Ornament.

This intriguing drawing in red chalk and grey wash features an elaborately decorative cornucopia design titled L'autone (Autumn), overflowing with grapes and tendrils of foliage. The paper is old laid, which appears to be 17th century, and the design itself has a quality closer to the Italian baroque and designs of Louis XIV than the florid elegance of the 18th century or later neoclassicism.

The course taken by decorative art in France in the 17th and 18th centuries was strongly influenced by designers of ornament, who were usually appointed by the King and employed by the royal manufactories. Few of them were solely ornemanistes; most were celebrated in other branches of the arts. A great many of them published books or examples of their style of design for the benefit of other artists and craftsmen.

In red chalk with grey wash. On laid paper.