Eight Studies of Friezes and Candelabrum
1814â18
Medium
graphic design
Classification
graphic design
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-2306
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Felice Giani, a Italian Neoclassical artist1758–1823 created *Eight Studies of Frie and Candelabrum between 1814 and1818. Working in the shadow of the Napoleonic era, Giani drew inspiration from ancient Roman architecture and the grand decorative schemes of contemporaries like Giambattistaanesi. These graphic design studies exemplify his mastery of ornamental motifs, blending classical antiquity with the refined elegance of early 19th-century taste. Rendered as preparatory sketches, the works feature intricate friezes—narrative bands of sculpted reliefs—and elegant candelabra, symbols of gran...