Design for a Sepulchral Monument
ca. 1675
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
1938-88-2575
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Antonio Gherardi's *Design for a Sepulral Monument* (ca. 1675) is a captivating preparatory drawing from the height of the Italian Baroque era. Born in 1644, Gherardi was a Roman architect, sculptor, and painter renowned for his dynamic frescoes and architectural projects, including work at the Vatican and Santa Maria Maggiore. This piece, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, exemplifies his skill in conceptualizing grand funerary architecture—elaborate tombs designed to evoke awe, eternity, and spiritual drama for nobility or clergy. As a drawing—its exact medium yet under study—th...