Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Large lobster with raised antenna (no. 21) - Félix Bracquemond

A refined etching by Félix Bracquemond from the Rousseau dinner service, featuring a detailed lobster study inspired by Japanese woodblock aesthetics.

This etching by Félix Bracquemond originates from the famous Rousseau service, a dinner set commissioned by the Parisian porcelain manufacturer François-Eugène Rousseau. Bracquemond, a printmaker and designer, drew heavy inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, particularly the works of Hokusai. This influence is evident in the asymmetrical composition, the clean lines, and the focus on a single natural subject placed against a sparse background.

The image depicts a large lobster, rendered with precise attention to its segmented shell and delicate antennae. Beside the crustacean, a small botanical sprig with fruit adds a sense of scale and organic balance. Bracquemond used the etching process to achieve fine, controlled marks that mimic the quality of ink drawings. The work avoids unnecessary shading, allowing the silhouette and the texture of the lobster to define the visual space.

The Rousseau service represents a shift in nineteenth-century decorative arts, where artists sought to integrate fine art techniques into functional objects. By applying these naturalistic studies to porcelain, Bracquemond helped popularise the aesthetic of Japonisme among the French bourgeoisie. The print functions as both a scientific observation and a decorative motif, demonstrating the artist's ability to synthesise Eastern composition with Western printmaking traditions. This specific plate, numbered 21, captures the characteristic precision Bracquemond brought to the entire series, which featured a variety of flora and fauna. The result is a clean, graphic representation that remains visually striking due to its economy of form and deliberate placement of elements across the plate.