Design for Palace Façade 1710 - 1727

Pietro Paolo Coccetti created this design for a palace façade with pen and brown ink, brush and gray wash, over black chalk. The composition is dominated by a tripartite symmetry, marked by a series of rectangular and square windows, and horizontal bands that define the architectural structure. The gray wash lends depth to the façade, accentuating the contrast between the solid architectural elements and the voids of the windows. This interplay between line and volume reflects the formal rationality of the Enlightenment era and the period's fascination with order and proportion. The façade does not merely represent a building; it embodies ideals of reason and balance. The measured scale and the precise delineation of architectural features invite us to consider the symbolic weight of architectural form.