Design for a Ceiling Decoration: A Gathering of Mythological Figures (recto); Dancing Satyr and Two Seated Figures (verso)
1652–1726
Medium
Pen and brown ink, over black chalk (recto); faint red chalk design (verso)
Dimensions
14-3/16 x 11-11/16 in. (36.0 x 29.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1971
Accession Number
1971.222.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
Anton Domenico Gabbiani (1652–1726), a Florentine Baroque artist, crafted this double-sided drawing as a preparatory design for an opulent ceiling decoration. On the recto, a lively gathering of mythological figures swirls in dynamic poses, evoking the grandeur of 17th-century Italian palaces where such frescoes adorned grand halls for the nobility. Executed in pen and brown ink over chalk, the intricate lines capture movement and depth, showcasing Gabbiani's skill in translating three-dimensional illusion onto a flat surface—a hallmark of Baroque decorative arts. The verso reveals a faint re...