One Quarter of a Design for a Painted Ceiling on Recto. Verso, ornaments 1700 - 1780

This anonymous drawing, dated between 1700 and 1780, is a design for a painted ceiling. The drawing, executed in black chalk, depicts a portion of a ceiling with intricate, swirling, rococo-style ornamentation. It is part of a larger, more complex design that would have adorned a grand interior. The detail and technical skill of the drawing demonstrate the artist's mastery of architectural design and decorative arts, prevalent in the Rococo period. The drawing is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.