Design for the Cove of a Ceiling
Medium
Pen and gray ink, brush and gray wash, over leadpoint, with ruled and compass construction; framing lines in leadpoint
Dimensions
9 5/8 x 9 9/16 in. (24.4 x 24.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Leon Dalva Sr., 1965
Accession Number
65.654.70
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Design for the Cove of a Ceiling*, created by an anonymous Piedmontese in Italy between 1700 and 1780, offers a glimpse into the opulent architectural fantasies of the 18th century. Hailing from the Piedmont region—known for its lavish Baroque and early Rococo palaces—this drawing sketches the curved transitional zone, or "cove," where meet ceilings in grand interiors. Such designs adorned noble residences and churches, blending architecture with illusionistic decoration to create a sense boundless space and grandeur. Executed on a modest 9⅝ × 9⁹⁄₁₆-inch sheet, the work showcas...