From the Smithsonian

François de Cuvilliés the younger's 1770s album showcases the architectural print artistry now preserved at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

In this 1900s study, Abbott Handerson Thayer imagined the sky in fiery pink, part of his research on animal camouflage for a book on concealing coloration.

An unidentified artist's slab of ancient Roman marble is on display at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Scottish-born artist Alexander Lawson captured the Louisiana Tanager, Clark's Crow, and Lewis' Woodpecker, now held by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

This unattributed 1720s vase, part of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum collection, offers a rare glimpse into early 18th-century craftsmanship.

This 1570s frieze by French artist Etienne Delaune depicts a dramatic wild animal hunt, now held at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Gilles-Marie Oppenord's 1740s Title Page brings 18th-century French design flair straight from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

This 1870s window shade, whose maker remains unknown, is preserved today by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

This intriguing piece, simply titled "Fragment" and held by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, invites us to wonder about the story behind its mysterious unknown creator.