Bountifu l Invention: Drawings By Oppenord And Meissonnier

Gilles-Marie Oppenord’s upbringing encompassed a family residence at the palace of the Louvre, and his father’s regal connections and role as an ébéniste. Royal patronage continued for the young designer. A period of study in Rome saw the flourishing of his architectural skills before his return to France culminated in the position of Directeur Général des Bâtiments to the duc d’Orléans.

Much of Oppenord’s career coincided with that of Juste- Aurèle Meissonnier, a trained goldsmith who left his native Italy for Paris where appointment as Designer for the King’s Bedchamber confirmed his impact upon French artistic innovation which, under Louis XV, became known as Rococo.

Both men were draughtsmen and designers. Their subjects included interiors, furniture, fountains, ecclesiastical works and even personal accessories. Their intricate illustrations, fulfilling a draughtsman’s brief, remain alive with expectation. Superfluity of drawing and detail have created works of art so it is not surprising that Waddesdon Manor has paired these designers, making Bountiful Invention a conversation between two men who shared an unprecedented interest in drawing which spread throughout 18th-century Europe.

The exhibition has 45 drawings, most of which were acquired by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, and many of Oppenord’s drawings include his handwriting. Pen strokes complement and blend with designs, some of which date to student days at the French Academy, a time when his fertile imagination was captivated by modern achievements. His Design For A Chimney Piece breathes life into his draughtsman skills. The pen and ink wash provides details for a carpenter or sculptor whilst wafting smoke from candles evokes the notion of an existing scene interpreted by the artist.

The variety of Meissonnier’s work is similarly impressive. Room panelling, picture frames, crucifixes and clocks are some of the items he was commissioned to produce and The Church Of The Order Of The Holy Spirit, inspired by the chapel at Versailles, is one of two drawings here on loan. In addition, a key drawing, representing spiritual Rococo, is the 1726 Design For The FaÇade Of Saint-Sulpice, with blue and green etching embellishing this most complex piece.

Experimental works alongside presentation sheets and student instruction drawings reveal the decorative leaning of these two pioneering draughtsmen and showcase the elaborate detail of a distinctive French style. 

Until 23 October at Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire: 01296- 653203, www.waddesdon.org.uk