3890 - Design for an altar niche.

Design for an altar niche. Piedmont, mid-18th century. Pen in gray, washed in gray, with yellow and pink watercolors; on handmade paper. In terms of form, the oblong altarpiece with a semicircular top mirrors the structure of the niche for which it was intended. The cornice, pilasters, and base are modestly decorated with portrait medallions and cartouches, shells, and putti, all adhering to the stylistic language of the Settecento. On the entablature, however, the acanthus leaves and the openwork shell ornamentation are heightened to a massive opulence. The fully realized design thrives above all on the balanced interplay of pen drawing and carefully executed wash.