Two Designs for Vases (recto); Design for Candle Stick (?) (verso) 1652 - 1725

Giovanni Battista Foggini created these vase designs with pen and brown ink, accented by grey wash over black chalk, sometime between 1667 and 1725. These aren't just preliminary sketches; they're explorations of form and material. Foggini, an Italian sculptor, wasn’t merely thinking about abstract shapes. He was deeply engaged with the qualities of the materials he would use, likely silver or other precious metals. The drawings emphasize the play of light on the vases’ surfaces, hinting at the reflective properties of polished metal. Consider the labor involved in bringing these designs to life. Skilled artisans would have employed techniques like chasing and engraving to achieve the intricate details seen here. The drawings stand as testaments to the intertwined histories of art, craft, and design. They highlight the vital role of skilled labor in the creation of luxury goods, blurring the lines between artistic vision and the work of the hand.