Engravings Based on С.-N. Cochin the Younger’s Drawings in 18th Century French Books from Yekaterinburg Collections

Abstract

Yekaterinburg has a vast collection of 18 th century French books with engravings. The article analyzes engravings based on C.-N. Cochin the Younger’s (1715–1790) drawings. The analysis is made referring to the engravings that can be found in the 18 th century French illustrated books kept in the three collections of French books in Yekaterinburg, namely, the Sverdlovsk Regional Museum of Local History, Sverdlovsk Regional Universal Scientific Library named after V. G. Belinsky, and the Regional Scientific Library of Ural Federal University. The article presents results of the examination of the said book collections, as well as conclusions made as to the attribution of the engravings. The engravings are systematized from the point of view of genre, thematic, compositional and style features on the basis of their description and image analysis. The study of С .-N. Cochin the Younger’s creative heritage enables the author to trace the style evolution from Rococo to Neoclassicism as part of the main stages of his creative work. The artist’s book illustrations can be characterized as highly informative, corresponding with the text, and allegorical. They turn to mythological and exotic subjects and follow a decorative pattern, combine the artistic and documentary methods of depiction, and bear a balanced nature as part of a series. The article describes the results of attribution of C.-N. Cochin the Younger’s artistic heritage that makes part of Yekaterinburg collections.