Architectural Motif with Three Shields, Two with Figures
c. 1690
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 11.3 x 9.2 cm (4 7/16 x 3 5/8 in.) sheet: 17.4 x 12.2 cm (6 7/8 x 4 13/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1997.10.4
Art Historical Context
In the late Baroque era, around 1690, Italian engraver Carlo Antonio Buffagnotti *Architectural Motif with Shields, Two with Figures a delicate etching on laid paper now housed in the National Gallery Art. Buffagnotti, active in Bologna, was renowned for his precise reproductive prints and ornamental designs, often drawing from architectural fantasies and decorative motifs inspired by the grandeur of Italian palaces and churches. This small plate (11.3 x 9.2 cm) captures the opulent aesthetic of the period, where elaborate embellishments symbolized status and artistry. The composition feature...