1736
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Arms of the King of France with Wings and Scientific Instruments is a 1736 graphite by Hubert François Gravelot, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a fancy coat of arms with a crown on top. Below it, two wings spread out like a bird’s, and under the wings are tools like a telescope and a compass. The whole thing is drawn in loose, sketchy lines on light paper, with some areas scratched in deeper. The crown and fleur-de-lis symbols mark this as French royalty. The tools suggest science or exploration, but the sketch feels more like a quick study than a finished design. Next, check out Baroque to see how bold, dramatic art like this fit into the era.
Hubert-François Bourguignon, commonly known as Gravelot (26 March 1699 – 20 April 1773), was a French engraver, a famous book illustrator, designer and drawing-master.
See the richer artist page
![Shields of Henry IV and Maria de Medici [bottom half]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/bc9a63fd04d9aa1d/thumb.webp)
![Shields of Henri IV and Maria de Medici [bottom half]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/afd8e415db9e1412/thumb.webp)
