A late 19th-century French engraving plate from the celebrated publication *Portefeuille historique de l'ornement*, published in Paris by Ducher & Cie. This plate, numbered "Pl. 94 bis", reproduces exquisite 17th-century goldsmithing designs ("Orfévrerie du XVIIe S.") originally engraved by La Rive in 1700. The composition features three highly detailed oval medallions filled with dense baroque foliate scrollwork, grotesque figures, and caryatids, situated above two delicate frieze designs.

Historical & Style Details

• Subject / Sitter / Source: 17th-century goldsmithing designs ("Orfévrerie du XVIIe S.") from *Portefeuille historique de l'ornement*
• Artist / Maker / Author: After designs by La Rive (originally engraved 1700); published by Ducher & Cie, Paris; printed by Fouquet
• Period: Late 19th Century (circa 1880)
• Origin: France
• Material / Technique: Heliogravure / engraving on paper
• Markings: Inscribed "Pl. 94 bis." top center; "La RIVE sculp. 1700." top left; "HISTORIQUE DE L'ORNEMENT." and "PORTAFEUILLE HISTORIQUE DE L'ORNEMENT." along the bottom margin; "PARIS, DUCHER & Cie. Éditeurs, r. des Poitevins, 6." bottom right; "Imprimé par FOUQUET Rue St-Jacques, 1" bottom left; "ORFEVRERIE du XVIIe S." under the lower-left vignette.
• Frame: Giltwood frame with a textured sage-green mat and a gilded inner bevel
• Condition: Minor waving to the paper sheet, light toning consistent with age; frame shows minor wear to the gilt finish but remains structurally sound

History

During the historicist revival of the late nineteenth century, publications like the *Portefeuille historique de l'ornement* served as vital sourcebooks for architects, jewelers, and decorative artists seeking to study and recreate the grandeur of the Baroque and Rococo eras. Published by the prominent Parisian firm Ducher & Cie, these high-quality plates offered precise reproductions of rare master prints from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, reflecting the period's deep academic appreciation for classical ornament.