Design for a Pendentive: Youthful Musicians with Stringed Instruments 1505 - 1588

This small drawing was made by Pomponio Amalteo in the 16th century, with pen, ink, and chalk on paper. The texture of the paper is evident, with the artist using the absorbency of the material to create soft tonal variations and the tooth of the paper to add a tactile quality to the chalk lines. Amalteo's design of youthful musicians, probably angels, was made as a design for a pendentive, the architectural feature that allows for the placement of a circular dome over a square room. The drawing is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. It embodies the labor of design, which is often overlooked in favor of the finished product. This reflects the social context of the time, where the skills of the craftsman were valued, but the intellectual labor of the designer was often seen as secondary. Thinking about materials, making, and context helps us to challenge the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, allowing a fuller understanding of the work.