Design for a Ceiling Painting with a Nuptial Allegory
ca. 1750 - ca. 1775
Medium
pen
Dimensions
520; 353
About this artwork
height 520 mm x width 353 mm
Art Historical Context
Pietro Antonio III Novelli a prominent Sicilian artist of the 18th century a family of painters, created this intricate *Design for a Ceiling Painting a Nuptial Alleg* around 1750–1775. Executed in pen on paper (520 mm × 353 mm), it as a preparatory sketch for a grand ceiling fresco, a hallmark of Baroque and emerging Rococo decoration in Sicilian palaces and churches. Novelli's work reflects the opulent style of the period, blending dynamic compositions with symbolic motifs to celebrate matrimony. The nuptial allegory likely features classical figures like Venus, Cupid, or Hymen—gods of love...
About the Artist
Pietro Antonio III Novelli · 1729–1804
Italian, Venice 1729–1804 Venice