Fragment of a Design for an Overdoor with Seated Angel Supporting Cartouche, and Seated Putto Holding Garland (recto); Fragments of a Cartouche? (verso)
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over leadpoint (?) on light tan laid paper (recto); black chalk (verso)
Dimensions
5-7/8 x 5-5/16 in. (14.9 x 13.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1959
Accession Number
59.644.13
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate 17th-century drawing created by an anonymous Italian artist from the Roman-Bolog school, offers a glimpse into the ornate world of Baroque architectural decoration. On the recto, it features a design for an overdoor a gracefully seated angel supports an elegant cartouche, while a playful putto clutches a flowing garland. The verso bears faint traces of another cartouche in black chalk, suggesting ongoing refinements. Rendered on light tan laid paper in pen and brown ink with brush and brown wash over possible leadpoint, the work's small scale—under 6 inches square—highlights its ...