Artwork
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Flowers and Insects (no. 15)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Flowers and Insects (no. 15) is a print by the Impressionist artist Félix Bracquemond. It dates from 1866 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1922.404
- Credit line
- Dudley P. Allen Fund
About this work
Overview
Félix Bracquemond’s print ‘Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Flowers and Insects (no. 15)’ was executed in 1866. The work forms part of a decorative series intended for a dinner service, and it is presently in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The image presents an intricate arrangement of botanical and entomological motifs rendered in a compact, ornamental composition.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a dense network of twining branches populated by a variety of flowers, leaves and insects such as butterflies and beetles. By concentrating on minute natural details, Bracquemond transforms a scientific observation into a decorative tableau, suggesting both the beauty of the natural world and its suitability for everyday objects like tableware.
Technique & Style
Executed with fine, sharply defined lines, the image relies on precise hatching and stippling to convey texture and volume. The stylization balances realism, each plant and insect is recognizable, with a decorative flatness typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century French ornamental design, reflecting Bracquemond’s background in engraving and his interest in the decorative arts.
History & Provenance
Created for the Rousseau dinner service, the plate was one of a series commissioned for a luxury table setting. After its original use, the print entered the market and was eventually acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum’s decorative arts holdings.
Context
Bracquemond was a prominent figure in the French etching revival and contributed designs for porcelain and metalware. This work aligns with the broader nineteenth‑century trend of integrating natural motifs into applied arts, echoing the aesthetic principles of the Arts and Crafts movement that valued handcrafted beauty in everyday objects.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Félix Henri Bracquemond was a French painter, etcher, and printmaker. He played a key role in the revival of printmaking, encouraging artists such as Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro to use this technique.
- Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Flowers (no. 22)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Flowers (no. 23)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Swallow, Rooster and Flowers (no. 8)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Butterflies and Fish (no. 16)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Roosters, skate, plants, etc. (no. 9)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Ducks, fish, etc. (no. 12)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Large lobster with raised antenna (no. 21)
Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Fish (no. 24)