Section of an apse
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
1938-88-3789
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Filippo Marchionni’s “Section of an Apse,” created around 1780, offers a glimpse into the architectural imagination of late-eighteenth-century Italy. As a trained architect and draftsman, Marchionni captured the curved, recessed space that traditionally frames the altar in churches, emphasizing proportion, light, and ornamental detail. Though the precise medium remains under study, the work’s classification as architecture suggests it may be a drawing or preparatory study intended to guide builders or patrons. Apse designs like this one played a central role in shaping the spiritual experienc...