Dinner Service (Rousseau service): Pheasants and bird (no. 18) - Félix Bracquemond

A detailed etching by Félix Bracquemond featuring pheasants and a smaller bird, created for the influential Rousseau dinner service.

This etching by Félix Bracquemond originates from the famous Rousseau dinner service, a project that brought the aesthetic principles of Japonisme into the French domestic sphere. Commissioned by the Parisian dealer François-Eugène Rousseau, the service featured a wide array of fauna and flora, drawing direct inspiration from Hokusai's Manga. Bracquemond, a skilled printmaker, adapted these motifs to fit the circular constraints of ceramic plates, though the original etchings reveal the raw, graphic quality of his work before transfer to porcelain.

The composition displays three birds in various postures. A large pheasant occupies the lower left, its long, patterned tail feathers extending across the bottom of the frame. Above it, two smaller birds are depicted in dynamic, almost tumbling poses. The line work is precise and economical, reflecting the artist's interest in the clarity of Japanese woodblock prints. Bracquemond avoids heavy shading, preferring instead to define form through the direction and density of his etched lines. The contrast between the dark, solid areas of the plumage and the lighter, open spaces creates a sense of balance typical of the period's fascination with Eastern design.

This print captures the intersection of fine art and industrial design during the late nineteenth century. By integrating naturalistic observation with the stylised conventions of Japanese art, Bracquemond created a visual language that felt both modern and exotic to his contemporaries. The work remains a clear example of how printmaking techniques were utilised to disseminate new decorative ideas across Europe. The absence of a background allows the viewer to focus entirely on the anatomical details and the rhythmic arrangement of the birds, demonstrating the artist's technical control over the copper plate.