Title Page for Fontaines (Book Seven)

This engraved title page announces the seventh volume of designs for fountains and public spaces by G.-M. Oppenord, a leading French Baroque architect and ornamentalist. Executed in the rococo style with characteristic flourishes—putti, nymphs, and classical urns—the composition demonstrates the fusion of architectural theory and decorative arts central to early modern design publication. Such illustrated frontispieces served both as advertisements and as statements of artistic authority, establishing the visual hierarchy and elegant typography that would influence printed matter for centuries. The allegorical figures surrounding the cartouche frame technical knowledge within a world of luxury and taste.