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Untitled

Edme Bouchardon

1746

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Baroque 18th Century Marine

Dominant colour

Untitled is a 1746 by Edme Bouchardon, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Edme Bouchardon
When & what style?: 1746 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing shows a small wooden box with a round top that looks like a ship’s wheel. Inside the box, there’s a tiny model of a ship with sails and a figure at the wheel. The whole scene sits on a flat base, and the drawing is framed by a circle with Latin words around the edge. The ship model is detailed but simple, with just a few lines for the sails and hull. The Latin text around the circle reads *"Secundis que rebus"* and *"Marine 1747"*—though the date might be a mistake. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build up shadows with lines.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing is a preparatory design by Edme Bouchardon for a jeton featuring a mariner’s compass, executed in 1746 and cut out and laid down on support. It was likely once part of the collection of P. J. Mariette and may have been intended for the Paris Mint, possibly executed by medallists such as C. J. Roëttiers or his son. The work is mounted on blue paper with a scroll bearing the artist’s name, a presentation style associated with Mariette’s collection. Bouchardon served as the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres’ designer from 1736 until his death, creating medals and jetons for…

Read the full account in the museum source.