Two Alternative Designs for a Mirror or Screen with Family Coat of Arms 1698 - 1765

This drawing of alternative designs for a mirror or screen was made by Giovanni Battista Natali III in the 18th century using pen and brown ink, with gray wash over graphite on paper. Note the elaborate ornamentation, reflecting the Rococo style, and intended to signal the wealth and elevated social standing of the family whose coat-of-arms would have been displayed. While just a concept on paper, the design anticipates and celebrates the work of highly skilled wood carvers. They would have transformed these two-dimensional designs into three-dimensional reality. It's possible that they would have used a soft wood like limewood, allowing for the deep undercutting of the scrolls. The mirror or screen would have then been gilded, requiring further layers of skilled labor. By considering the various hands involved, we can appreciate the social context embedded in this seemingly simple drawing, and reflect on the many processes involved in creating luxury objects in the 1700s.