Stage Design, Prison Interior
early 19th century
Classification
theater
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors and from Eleanor G. Hewitt Fund
Accession Number
1938-88-463
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Felice Giani, an Italian artist (1758–1823), created this stage design for a prison interior in the early nineteenth century. As a work classified under theater, it reflects the artist’s engagement with scenography, where painted sets helped establish mood and narrative for live performances. The stark architectural setting would have heightened dramatic tension, drawing audiences into stories of confinement and conflict popular on European stages at the time. Today the drawing resides in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, acquired through a museum purchase supported by numerous donors and ...