A Dream; Virgin on a Crescent
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-7360
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**A Dream; Virgin on a Crescent** (c. 1825–1850) is a captivating drawing by Italian artist Fortato Duranti (178–1863), housed in the Smithsonian American Art. Duranti, a skilled draftsman and sculptor from Carrara—Italy's famed marble hub—created this work during a period of artistic transition in Europe, bridging Neoclassicism's refined forms with emerging Romantic sensibilities As a drawing, it likely served as a preparatory study, highlighting the artist's command of line and composition in exploring ethereal, devotional themes. The title evokes a mystical vision: the Virgin Mary poised o...