From the exhibition
Nouveaux Desseins de Balcons
Pierre Edme Babel, French, 1720–1775 · 18th century

This architectural ornament plate presents three designs for balcony railings, each showcasing elaborate scrollwork, acanthus leaves, and symmetrical flourishes characteristic of Rococo decoration. The compositions feature volutes and shell motifs arranged within rectangular frames, with a scale bar indicating actual proportions for craftsmen. Such pattern sheets served as reference guides for metalworkers and stonemasons executing interior and exterior architectural details. The engraved presentation format was standard in 18th-century design practice, allowing artisans to reproduce fashionable ornamental styles across multiple commissions.
Public domain, restored and presented by comicbooks.com CC0