English: Design, 1744, Matthias Lock V&A Museum no. 27811:6

Techniques - Etching, ink on paper

Place - London, England

Dimensions - Height 26.2 cm (paper), Width 18.7 cm (paper)

Object Type - This print is an etching, which uses the action of acid to create lines on a metal printing plate. This sheet is a printed plate from a pattern book entitled Six Sconces, published by Matthias Lock in 1744. This pattern book consists of a set of six plates of designs for wall-mirrors, some with sconces (brackets for holding candles). It was the first Rococo carver's pattern book to be published in Britain.

Subject Depicted - The print shows a design for a pier glass, which is a tall narrow mirror designed to be attached to the wall between windows. The extreme asymmetry of the design is deceptive, as the print was probably intended to show two designs, each of which could be seen in its entirety by placing a small frame-less mirror down the centre. The eagle at the top and the winged head at the bottom of the mirror are copied from French Rococo prints.

People -

Matthias Lock (active from about 1710 to 1765) was a furniture designer and carver who worked in the Rococo style. He was also one of a number of designers to publish pattern books. Like this book, they were essentially collections of illustrations, which ensured the rapid spread of the style.