Design for a Wall Monument

Francesco di Giorgio Martini Italian

Not on view

Francesco di Giorgio was a Sienese sculptor, painter, illuminator, architect, and military engineer. The precise function of this drawing is uncertain; it may record an idea for a tomb sculpture or perhaps a painting. The foreshortened architectural perspective and the downward gaze of the figures suggest the work was intended to be placed high on the wall of a chapel or nave. The male figure in the center, flanked by muses or figures representing the liberal arts, may portray the patron, suggesting a memorializing function. Alternatively, this vellum sheet may have served as the frontispiece for Francesco di Giorgio’s treatise on machines, in which case, the male figure may be a self-portrait of the artist.

Design for a Wall Monument, Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italian, Siena 1439–1501 Siena), Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, blue gouache, on vellum

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Design for a Wall Monument, Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italian, Siena 1439–1501 Siena), Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, blue gouache, on vellum
Design for a Wall Monument, Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italian, Siena 1439–1501 Siena), Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, blue gouache, on vellum
Design for a Wall Monument, Francesco di Giorgio Martini (Italian, Siena 1439–1501 Siena), Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, blue gouache, on vellum

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