Design for a Centerpiece
1590â1630
Medium
Drawing
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
1938-88-2636
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Baldassare Peruzzi, an Italian artist and architect of the High Renaissance, created this drawing as a design for a decorative centerpiece. Active in the early sixteenth century, Peruzzi was celebrated for his elegant architectural perspectives and illusionistic frescoes, such as those at the Villa Farnesina in Rome. Though the sheet dates from a later period, it reflects the enduring influence of Renaissance design principles in ornamental objects meant for elite tables or ceremonial use. Executed in the medium of drawing, the work offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind funct...