Design for a Helmet with an Elaborate Plume 1652 - 1725

This pen-and-ink drawing by Giovanni Battista Foggini, created between 1652 and 1725, depicts a design for a helmet with an elaborate plume. The drawing is a preparatory study for a larger work, showcasing Foggini's meticulous attention to detail and mastery of the Baroque style. The helmet itself is rendered in a highly decorative manner, with intricate details and a flowing, curvilinear form. The plume, which is depicted as a series of swirling, feather-like shapes, adds a sense of dynamism and movement to the composition. This drawing, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides insight into the creative process of one of the most celebrated Italian sculptors of the 17th century.