Design for One Floor of a Painted Facade
Classification
architecture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase from the Mary Hearn Greims Fund
Accession Number
1940-21-44
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Lazzaro Tavarone, an artist active from 1556 to 1641, created this *Design for One Floor of a Painted Facade* between 1580 and 1610. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's architecture collection, this preparatory work reflects the ingenuity of late Renaissance Italy, where architects and painters collaborated to transform ordinary buildings into visual spectacles. Tavarone based in Lucca, was known for his contributions to facade designs that blurred the line between painting and architecture. Painted facades were a hallmark of the period, using illusionistic techniques to mimic sto...