Design for an Altar in the Church of the Confraternity of Santissima Trinita, Turin
c. 1734
Medium
Pen and black ink, with brush and gray wash, and watercolor, over graphite, on buff laid paper
Dimensions
61.4 × 44.5 cm (24 3/16 × 17 9/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
20401
Art Historical Context
Filippo Juvara, a leading Italian architect of the late Baroque era, created this exquisite design around 1734 for an altar in the Church of the Confraternity of Sant Trinita in Turin. Working under the patronage of the Savoy court, Juvara was renowned for his dramatic, theatrical spaces that blended Roman grandeur with Piedmontese elegance. This preparatory drawing captures his vision for a sacred focal point, likely featuring ornate columns, sculpted niches, and a glowing altarpiece, evoking the spiritual splendor of Counter-Reformation Italy. Executed on buff laid paper with graphite under...