Design for a Wall Monument
n.d.
Medium
Red chalk
Dimensions
5 15/16 x 3 13/16 in. (15.1 x 9.7 cm.)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.148(52)
Tags
Art Historical Context
René Charpentier's *Design for a Wall Monument is a delicate preparatory drawing in red chalk, capturing the spirit of French Baroque architecture. Created around the late 17th or 18th century—though undated—this compact sketch (just under 6 by 4 inches) outlines a wall monument adorned with male figures and playful putti, or cherubs. These elements evoke the grandeur of commemorative sculptures often found in churches or grand estates, blending solemnity with lively ornamentation. Red chalk, a favored medium for draftsmen of the period, allowed Charpentier to achieve soft tonal modeling and ...