Design for Brooch with Woman in Broken Pedimet
16th century
Medium
jewelry
Classification
jewelry
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-780
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the Renaissance world with this captivating *Design for Brooch with Woman in Pediment*, a 16th-century sketch from an unknown artist. Crafted as a preparatory drawing for jewelry, it features a graceful female figure framed within a broken pediment—a distinctive architectural motif with a curved or interrupted triangular top, evoking the ornate frames of grand palaces and altars. Such designs highlight the era's fusion of sculpture, architecture, and personal adornment, turning wearable art into miniature masterpieces. In the 16th century brooches were prized status symbols among Eu...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...