Sketch, Figure in Uniform with Book
Medium
Drawing
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-8375
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Fortunato Duranti (1787–1863), an Italian artist, created this expressive drawing between 1820 and 1850. Titled *Sketch, Figure in Uniform with Book*, the work depicts a uniformed figure holding a volume, suggesting themes of duty, learning, or quiet reflection during a transformative era in European history. Duranti’s choice of medium—a spontaneous drawing—reveals the artist’s skill in capturing gesture and presence with economical lines. Drawings like this one often served as studies or personal notations rather than finished pieces, offering modern viewers an intimate glimpse into an artist’s process. Created during the height of Romanticism, when many European creators explored individuality and emotion, the sketch’s military attire may hint at the social upheavals following the Napoleonic Wars. Its presence in the Smithsonian American Art Museum collection underscores the international reach of 19th-century Italian draftsmanship. Acquired through the generosity of multiple donors and the Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund, the drawing remains an object of ongoing research. It invites visitors to consider how even a modest sketch can preserve the human stories of its time.