Elevation of a church
Classification
architecture
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-1202
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Giuseppe Barberi (1746–1809), a noted Italian architect, created *Elevation of a Church* 1777, offering a glimpse into 18th-century European design practices. This architectural drawing captures the facade of a grand ecclesiastical structure, a common format for envisioning sacred spaces during an era when church commissions reflected both spiritual devotion and advancing neoclassical ideals in Italy. An "elevation" like this one is a precise, two-dimensional rendering essential for architects to communicate scale, proportions, and decorative elements to builders and patrons. Barberi's work e...