Design for a Reliquary
1675â1700
Classification
furniture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-2571
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Francesco Solimena (1657–1747), a leading figure of the Neapolitan Baroque crafted this *Design for a Reliqu* around 1675–1700, during his early career in southern Italy. Trained in the dramatic style of masters like Luca Giordano, Solena was renowned for his theatrical compositions, swirling drapery, and emotional intensity, often seen in grand frescoes and altarpieces churches. This preparatory drawing reflects the era's Counter-Reformation fervor, where religious objects were designed to inspire awe and devotion amid Catholic Italy's artistic splendor. Reliquaries—elaborate containers for ...