Artwork
Book of Fountains: No. 2
Book of Fountains: No. 2 is a print by the Baroque artist Gabriel Huquier. It dates from 1736 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. François Boucher’s print titled *Book of Fountains: No.
About this work
A fountain overflows with curling stone shapes, seashells, and playful water sprays, like a dreamy garden sculpture on paper.
A fountain overflows with curling stone shapes, seashells, and playful water sprays, like a dreamy garden sculpture on paper. The design feels alive with motion, as if the water could start flowing at any moment.
This print is based on drawings by François Boucher, a top artist for French decoration in the 1700s. He made many such designs, full of light curves and nature themes, popular in elite homes. The style, called Rococo, grew from a love of shells and elegant, twisty forms.
You can see more art from that time and place by exploring the subject: france, 18th century.
(Word count: 100)
Overview
François Boucher’s print titled *Book of Fountains: No. 2* is an ornamental design that depicts an imagined fountain composed of flowing stone forms, shells and sprigs of water. The composition is rendered in a light, airy manner that suggests movement, as if the water were about to cascade from the paper.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a fanciful water feature whose elements—curving rocks, seashells and delicate sprays—are arranged in a rhythmic, almost theatrical pattern. Such motifs celebrate the pleasure of the garden and the delight of water as a decorative element, reflecting the Rococo fascination with nature’s ornamental potential.
Technique & Style
Executed as a print based on Boucher’s original drawings, the work employs fine line work and subtle shading to convey texture and depth. Its design follows Rococo conventions: sinuous curves, shell‑like forms (rocaille), and a playful, asymmetrical balance that emphasizes elegance over strict symmetry.
History & Provenance
Boucher was a leading figure in 18th‑century French decorative arts, producing numerous ornamental prints for aristocratic interiors. *Book of Fountains: No. 2* belongs to a series intended for use as design models in elite homes, illustrating the period’s taste for elaborate, nature‑inspired ornamentation.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gabriel Huquier (1695–1772) was an entrepreneurial French drawer (artist), engraver, printmaker, publisher, and art collector, who became a pivotal figure in the production of French 18th-century ornamental etchings and engravings
Book of Fountains: No. 5
Book of Fountains: No. 3
The Goddess, Diana on the Clouds
The Senses: Touch (after Boucher)
Amusement, Arabesque
The Buffoon, Arabesque
No. 1: Title Page
Silver Sculptural Project for a Large Centerpiece and Two Tureens Which Have Been Executed for His Lordship the Duke of Kingston, plate 115 from Works of Juste-Aurèle Meissonier (Oeuvre de Juste-Aurèle Meissonier)
