Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Edme Bouchardon in 1746.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Untitled by Edme Bouchardon (1746) — Meaning & Museum

About this work

The Latin text around the circle reads *"Secundis que rebus"* and *"Marine 1747"*—though the date might be a mistake.

This drawing shows a small wooden box with a round top that looks like a ship’s wheel. Inside the box, there’s a tiny model of a ship with sails and a figure at the wheel. The whole scene sits on a flat base, and the drawing is framed by a circle with Latin words around the edge.

The ship model is detailed but simple, with just a few lines for the sails and hull. The Latin text around the circle reads *"Secundis que rebus"* and *"Marine 1747"*—though the date might be a mistake.

Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build up shadows with lines.

Overview

This untitled drawing by Edme Bouchardon, dated 1746, is a preparatory design for a jeton, a type of commemorative medal. The work features a mariner’s compass motif, executed in a circular format with accompanying Latin inscriptions.

Subject & Meaning

The design centers on a symbolic scene: a small, detailed ship model with sails and a figure at the wheel, enclosed within a circular, wheel-like structure, evoking a mariner’s compass. This imagery likely signifies navigation or maritime achievement, potentially for a state or royal commission.

Technique & Style

The drawing showcases Bouchardon’s use of simple, expressive lines for the ship model and cross-hatching techniques to build up shadows, demonstrating restraint and clarity in design, characteristic of preparatory work for medallic art.

History & Provenance

Originally part of P. J. Mariette’s collection, the drawing is mounted on blue paper with a scroll bearing Bouchardon’s name, a presentation method associated with Mariette. It may have been destined for production at the Paris Mint by medallists like C. J. Roëttiers or his son.

Context

Created during Bouchardon’s tenure as designer for the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres (1736 until his death), this work aligns with his role in designing medals and jetons for official use, reflecting the intersection of art and state commemoration in 18th-century France.

Legacy

While the jeton’s production status is uncertain (with a potentially erroneous date of 1747 on the drawing), the work remains a significant example of Bouchardon’s design process for medallic art, offering insight into the creative stages of official, symbolic artworks of the period.