Ornament Design, Portland Vase and Cameos
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Unknown Donor
Accession Number
1980-32-1463
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
In the late 18th century, the neoclassical revival sweeping Europe, Italian artist Michel Angelo Pergolesi *Ornament Design, Portlandase and Cameos* in 1776. Active roughly from 1760 to 1801, Pergolesi worked primarily in England, where he specialized in intricate ornamental drawings inspired by ancient Roman artifacts. This delicate drawing captures the famed Portland Vase—a priceless Roman cameo glass vessel rediscovered in the 17th century and owned by the Duchess of Portlandalongside classical cameos, translating their elegant profiles into adaptable decorative motifs. As a preparatory dr...