Design for a Triumphal Arch with Three Arches
16th century
Medium
Pen and brown, brush and brown wash; over ruled stylus lines
Dimensions
sheet: 10 13/16 x 14 5/8 in. (27.5 x 37.1 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund
Accession Number
63.592.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 16th-century drawing, created anonymously by an Italian artist, presents a detailed design for a grand triumphal arch featuring three arches. Rendered on a sheet measuring 10 13/16 x 14 5/8 inches, it captures the architectural ambition of Renaissance Italy, where such ephemeral structures celebrated victorious rulers, royal entries, or festive processions. The inclusion of horses in the composition hints at dynamic equestrian elements, evoking the pageantry of parades that drew from ancient Roman traditions revived during the period. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush an...