Design for an Architectural Frieze
17th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash
Dimensions
5-1/6 x 8-7/16 in. (13.1 x 21.4 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, 1952
Accession Number
52.570.161
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Design for an Architectural Fr*, created by an anonymous Italian artist the mid-16th century (though to the 17th century), a glimpse into the Renaissance fascination with classical ornamentation. Measuring just 5-1/6 x 8-7/16 inches, this preparatory drawing was likely intended for a grand architectural project, envisioning a sculpted band of intricate motifs—scrolls, foliage, and figures—that would adorn in the opulent style of the era. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies the meticulous planning behind Italy's lavish palazzo...