Furniture, De La Fosse

Antique French Furniture Engraving – Jean Charles de La Fosse, Ameublement, 1771 This original 18th-century French copper engraving is from Ameublement, an important series of furniture and interior-design engravings published in Paris in 1771 by Jean Charles de La Fosse (1734–1789) and other engravers. De La Fosse was a French architect, ornamental designer, and engraver whose work provides an important visual record of 18th-century French decorative arts. His Ameublement series is particularly noteworthy for its depiction of furniture associated with the developing Louis XVI style, making these engravings valuable references for the history of French furniture and interior design. The Louis XVI style emerged in the decades preceding the French Revolution and represented a movement toward symmetry, classical proportions, geometric forms, and ornament inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. De La Fosse's designs document this transition in a period when elaborate furniture and carefully designed interiors were important expressions of wealth and refined taste. The Ameublement plates were produced with the participation of several other engravers, including Berthault, Daumont, Foin, Joly, Tardieu, and Mademoiselle Thouvenin. De La Fosse's work has been described by Bouilhet as “one of the most interesting examples of depicting the furniture style of Louis XVI.” This example features black hand-gouached margins, providing an especially attractive presentation. Original antique print Copper engraving by Jean Charles de La Fosse (1734–1789) and others From Ameublement, published in Paris, 1771 Black hand-gouached margins A few minimal signs of age and use Image: 20 × 30.5 cm (7.8 × 12 in.) Page size: 29.5 × 42 cm (11.6 × 16.5 in.) $240.00 — 40% OFF → $144.00