Quatrième Livre: Title Page

This ornamental title page announces the fourth volume of designs for decorative pilasters and montants by Gilles-Marie Oppenord, architect to the French crown. The elaborate baroque frame features scrollwork, cherubs, and architectural elements rendered in fine engraving. Oppenord's pattern books circulated widely among craftsmen and designers across Europe, establishing visual standards for rococo ornamentation. The classical cartouche format—a framed central text surrounded by decorative flourishes—became foundational to printed design communication, influencing how information would later be presented in illustrated publications, including early comic formats.