Design of an Urn with Figural Ornament.

Art Historical Context

This delicate 17th-century drawing created anonymously by an Italian artist, presents a refined design for an urn adorned with intricate figural ornamentation. Measuring just 2 13/16 x 2 1/16 inches, its diminutive scale hints at its origins in a sketchbook or workshop album, where such preparatory studies guided artisans in crafting luxurious decorative objects like ceramics, silver, or bronze vessels. The focus on faces among the motifs evokes the era's fascination with grotesque masks and lively human forms, common in Italian ornamental arts. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush and br...