Study for the Decoration of a Vault (recto); Faint Sketches of Ornamental Patterns (verso)
mid-18th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, over black chalk (recto); black chalk (verso)
Dimensions
sheet: 7 9/16 x 12 in. (19.2 x 30.5 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1963
Accession Number
63.592.17
Tags
Art Historical Context
Mauro Antonio Tesi, a Bolognese artist of the mid-18th, crafted this delicate *Study for the Decoration of a Vault* as a preparatory drawing for elaborate architectural ornamentation. Created with pen and brown ink over black chalk on the recto—showcasing precise, flowing designs for vaulted ceilings—and faint black chalk sketches of ornamental patterns on the verso, sheet measures 7 9/16 x 12 inches. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies Tesi's mastery in the Rococo style, blending fantasy with refined elegance. Tesi (1695–1766) was a key f...
About the Artist
Mauro Antonio Tesi
Mauro Antonio Tesi, affectionately nicknamed "Il Maurino" by his patron Francesco Algarotti, was born on January 15, 1730, in the small town of Montalbano near Modena, Italy. Largely self-taught, Tesi honed his skills as a painter, draftsman, and engraver, establishing himself in Bologna where he became a prominent figure in the late-Baroque decorative arts scene. His early career focused on archi...