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    A sprig of flowering rosemary lying against an ivory-white background and the twelve insects that surround it fills this horizontal painting. Stretching nearly the length of the composition with the cut end to our left, the rosemary has blunted, needle-like, gently curling teal-green leaves and small periwinkle-blue flowers along the ash-brown stem. Several insects perch on the sprig while others are seen as if looking from overhead, resting on the white background. The three largest insects perch along the top of the sprig, with an ivory-white butterfly with moss-green and black markings to the left, a black and golden, fuzzy bumblebee near the center, and a lemon-yellow butterfly with red antennae to our right. A tiny red insect, perhaps a ladybug without spots, sits on a leaf between the bee and yellow butterfly, and a small wasp-like insect rests on a leaf in at the lower left. Another mosquito-like insect alights on the surface nearby, next to a beetle with a honey-orange body with black, almost tiger-like stripes. A large cockroach sitting near the lower right corner has six spindly legs, a mahogany-colored abdomen, a black thorax, and tiny, black head. Spaced somewhat evenly across the top of the panel are a brick-red, winged insect to the left, a mint-green, beetle-like bug near a moth patterned with bone white and black, and a black, fly-like insect to our right. Lit from the upper left, the rosemary and insects cast shadows on the surface. The artist signed and dated the work with gray in the lower left corner: “J v. kessel . . f. Ao 1653.”

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    Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
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    6th and Constitution Ave NW 
    Washington, DC 20565

    Only have an hour to spend?

    We've got you covered.

  • Exhibitions & Events

    • Exhibitions
    • Calendar
    • Kid-Friendly Events
    A sprig of flowering rosemary lying against an ivory-white background and the twelve insects that surround it fills this horizontal painting. Stretching nearly the length of the composition with the cut end to our left, the rosemary has blunted, needle-like, gently curling teal-green leaves and small periwinkle-blue flowers along the ash-brown stem. Several insects perch on the sprig while others are seen as if looking from overhead, resting on the white background. The three largest insects perch along the top of the sprig, with an ivory-white butterfly with moss-green and black markings to the left, a black and golden, fuzzy bumblebee near the center, and a lemon-yellow butterfly with red antennae to our right. A tiny red insect, perhaps a ladybug without spots, sits on a leaf between the bee and yellow butterfly, and a small wasp-like insect rests on a leaf in at the lower left. Another mosquito-like insect alights on the surface nearby, next to a beetle with a honey-orange body with black, almost tiger-like stripes. A large cockroach sitting near the lower right corner has six spindly legs, a mahogany-colored abdomen, a black thorax, and tiny, black head. Spaced somewhat evenly across the top of the panel are a brick-red, winged insect to the left, a mint-green, beetle-like bug near a moth patterned with bone white and black, and a black, fly-like insect to our right. Lit from the upper left, the rosemary and insects cast shadows on the surface. The artist signed and dated the work with gray in the lower left corner: “J v. kessel . . f. Ao 1653.”

    Featured exhibition:

    Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World

    Now on view

  • Art & Artists

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    • Stories
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    Artle

    A refreshed experience for our puzzle game

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    Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
    Admission is always free

    6th and Constitution Ave NW 
    Washington, DC 20565

    Only have an hour to spend?

    We've got you covered.

  • Exhibitions & Events

    • Exhibitions
    • Calendar
    • Kid-Friendly Events
    A sprig of flowering rosemary lying against an ivory-white background and the twelve insects that surround it fills this horizontal painting. Stretching nearly the length of the composition with the cut end to our left, the rosemary has blunted, needle-like, gently curling teal-green leaves and small periwinkle-blue flowers along the ash-brown stem. Several insects perch on the sprig while others are seen as if looking from overhead, resting on the white background. The three largest insects perch along the top of the sprig, with an ivory-white butterfly with moss-green and black markings to the left, a black and golden, fuzzy bumblebee near the center, and a lemon-yellow butterfly with red antennae to our right. A tiny red insect, perhaps a ladybug without spots, sits on a leaf between the bee and yellow butterfly, and a small wasp-like insect rests on a leaf in at the lower left. Another mosquito-like insect alights on the surface nearby, next to a beetle with a honey-orange body with black, almost tiger-like stripes. A large cockroach sitting near the lower right corner has six spindly legs, a mahogany-colored abdomen, a black thorax, and tiny, black head. Spaced somewhat evenly across the top of the panel are a brick-red, winged insect to the left, a mint-green, beetle-like bug near a moth patterned with bone white and black, and a black, fly-like insect to our right. Lit from the upper left, the rosemary and insects cast shadows on the surface. The artist signed and dated the work with gray in the lower left corner: “J v. kessel . . f. Ao 1653.”

    Featured exhibition:

    Little Beasts: Art, Wonder, and the Natural World

    Now on view

  • Art & Artists

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    • Artists
    • Stories
    • Games and Interactives
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    Artle

    A refreshed experience for our puzzle game

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    Finot

    French, active 18th century

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    Printed with soft gray and black on cream-white paper, a woman and young boy stand in front of a square table set with papers and a looking device in this vertical etching. The boy and woman stand angled to our left at the center of the composition, and both have wide-set eyes and delicate noses. Both smile with bow-shaped lips. The woman turns her face to look at us. Long hair is partially arranged in bands of curls under her hat, which has elaborate bows. The bodice of her dress fits tightly on the long sleeves and to the narrow waist, and fabric is gathered and tucked into the puffy neckline. Her skirt flares out at the waist and falls in deep, crinkling folds to the ground. The woman reaches across the boy to hold the corner of one sheet of paper in the stack on the table. The boy has shaggy, dark hair, and he looks at the device. He wears a jacket over a ruffled shirt. The hand we see rests on the edge of the velvety cloth covering the table. The wooden device is on a stand with turned knobs like a candlestick. A vertically oriented rectangular panel frames a round window. A second panel hinges from the top edge of the first to angle up and to our left, presumably reflecting or mirroring images on the papers below. A brass and stone candlestick and a glass cup sit on a brown stone mantle behind the table to our left. Those objects and the paneling of the room behind us are reflected in a mirror over the mantle. A stringed, guitar-like instrument leans against one arm a chair standing just behind the woman’s legs. A curtain hangs from the top right corner of the sheet to drape across the back of the chair and partially cover a high wooden chest. An open book, a closed book, papers, and urn are arranged against the dark wall atop the chest. Text printed in cursive under the lower left image of the image reads, “Peint par L Boillly.” Text to the right reads, “Gravé par F. Cazenave.” The title, “L’Optique,” is printed among curlicues in the center of the lower margin, and beneath that text reads, “A Paris chez l’Auteur, Rue Jacques No. 13. en face de la rue de la Parcheminerie. Imprimé par Finot.”
    Frédéric Cazenave, Finot, L'Optique (The Optical Viewer), c. 1793, etching and wash manner, printed in black, Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, 2012.59.2

    L'Optique (The Optical Viewer)

    L'Optique (The Optical Viewer)

    Frédéric Cazenave, Finot · c. 1793 · etching and wash manner, printed in black ·  Accession ID  2012.59.2

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