Portrait Sketch
late 18th century
Medium
portraits
Classification
portraits
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-50
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Giuseppe Barberi’s *Portrait Sketch* captures a fleeting moment of artistic observation from the late eighteenth century. Created by the Italian artist (1746–1809), the work belongs to a period when European portraiture moved between formal commissions and studies. As a sketch, it likely served as a preparatory exercise, allowing Barberi to explore likeness, expression, and line with spontaneity before committing to a finished piece. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, this drawing reflects the institution’s commitment to preserving a wide range of artistic traditions, including wo...