St. Peter's, tribune, exterior, entablature and cornice details (recto)Santa Maria Maggiore, Sforza Chapel, plan, detail (verso)
early to mid-16th century
Medium
Dark brown ink, black chalk, and incised lines
Dimensions
sheet: 17 1/8 x 11 9/16 in. (43.5 x 29.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Janos Scholz and Anne Bigelow Scholz, in memory of Flying Officer Walter Bigelow Rosen, RCAF, 1949
Accession Number
49.92.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite double-sided architectural drawing from early to mid-16th France captures the keen Renaissance fascination with classical Roman design. On the recto, meticulous details of the exterior entablature and cornice from St. Peter's Basilica's tribune showcase the grandeur of Rome's premier basilica, then undergoing transformative renovations under architects like Bramante and Michelangelo. The verso features a precise plan detail of the Sforza Chapel Santa Maria Maggiore, another of papal Rome, highlighting ornate chapel layouts favored by powerful families. Executed by an anonymous ...