Unidentified building, ceiling or wall, painted frieze or decorative panels (recto) Unidentified building, cornice (verso)
early to mid-16th century
Medium
Dark brown ink, black chalk, and incised lines
Dimensions
sheet: 3 1/8 x 9 9/16 in. (8 x 24.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Rogers Fund, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and Mark J. Millard Gift, 1968
Accession Number
68.769.55
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing captures the ornate architectural details of an unidentified French building from the early to mid-16th century, a painted frieze or decorative panels on the recto (front) and a cornice on the verso (back). Rendered in dark brown ink, black, and incised lines a modest sheet measuring just 3 1/8 x 9 9/16 inches, it hints at the grandeur of Renaissance-era interiors. The inclusion of female figures, as noted in the tags, suggests classical motifs—perhaps graceful women in mythological or allegorical poses—adorning walls or ceilings, a hallmark of the period's fascination wi...