Design for Altar Tabernacle 1600 - 1700

This is a design for an altar tabernacle, made with pen and brown ink on paper by an anonymous artist. The linear quality of the drawing allows us to focus on the architectural elements. Note the pillars, the dome, and the statues placed on the roof. The design follows classical proportions and symmetry, while the profusion of ornament reflects the artistic tendencies of the Baroque era. But beyond its aesthetic value, this drawing provides insight into the labor and skills required to produce such a structure. Stonemasons, sculptors, and other specialized craftsmen would have been involved, each contributing their expertise. The altar would have been an extravagant display of wealth and power for the patron. By considering the making of this design, we can appreciate the fusion of art, craft, and social context.