Artibus et Historiae no. 41 (XXI)
2000, ISSN 0391-9064Up
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MARIA GORDON-SMITH - The influence of Jean Pillement on French and English Decorative Arts. Part One
Jean Pillement is generally regarded as the heir to Watteau and Boucher in the field of rococo chinoiseries. He went further, to become a leading exponent of the genre, the most prolific and successful designer of patterns for the decorative arts of his times whose ornaments were adopted by countless artistic manufactories. The reasons for his remarkable popularity were twofold. The first was his talent as an artist of unbridled fantasy, imagination and spirit which breathed into his ebullient microcosm of would-be Orientals. The second was his extensive propagation of published engravings in the eighteenth century, thanks to which Pillement's designs could potentially reach any artist or craftsman in need of a model. This two-part essay describes and illustrates Pillement's distinguishing imprint upon representative fields of applied arts.