Candelabra, Vessels and Ornament, nos. 358–369, plate 54 from "Designs for Various Ornaments"
March 20, 1785
Medium
Etching and engraving, printed in brown ink
Dimensions
Plate: 18 1/16 × 11 1/8 in. (45.8 × 28.3 cm) Sheet: 20 5/8 × 13 9/16 in. (52.4 × 34.5 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Herbert Mitchell, 2008
Accession Number
2018.839.39
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of 18th-century neoclassicism with *Candelabra, Vessels Ornament, nos. 358–369*, plate54 from Michelangelo Pergoles *Designs for Variousnaments*. Created on March 20, 1785, this etching and printed in warm brown ink captures the Italian artist's mastery of intricate ornamental motifs. Pergolesi, who worked in England alongside architects like Robert Adam, drew from ancient Roman grotesques, reviving them for Regency-era designers, furniture makers, and architects seeking refined, classical elegance. The plate showcases a symphony of candelabra, vessels, and decorat...
About the Artist
Michelangelo Pergolesi · 1760–1801
Michelangelo Pergolesi (1760–1801) was an Italian decorative artist, draughtsman, engraver, and designer whose career bridged Rome and London, profoundly influencing neoclassical interiors during the late 18th century. Little is known of his early life or formal training, with biographical details sparsely documented. Likely inspired by classical antiquity and the era's archaeological fervor, incl...