Four Cornice Designs
17th century
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor and Sarah Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-94-658
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection *Four Cornice Designs* offers a glimpse into 17th-century architectural ornamentation. Created by an unknown artist during an era of lavish Baroque and Renaissance influences, this print showcases intricate patterns for cornices—those elegant, projecting moldings that crown doors, windows, and walls in grand buildings. As a print, it exemplifies how such designs were disseminated widely, allowing architects, builders, and artisans across Europe and the American colonies to replicate sophisticated motifs without direct access to origin...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...