Goldsmith Design

The title page for this set of prints suggests that Bourdon’s designs are “useful for clockmakers, goldsmiths, chiselers, engravers and other people.” These craftsmen who made ornamented objects, such as the boxes and pistol below, sometimes consulted printed designs for inspiration. However, pattern prints similar to Bourdon’s also catered to aristocrats and wealthy professionals who pursued knowledge about styles and artists as a form of entertainment.