Design for an Altar 1800 - 1900

This design for an altar was made in pen and brown ink with gray wash over graphite. Altar designs like this one, with their elaborate sculptural programs, speak to the central role the Church played in European society. Looking at the composition, we see the figure of Christ positioned above two saints, which would have been visually arresting. It would have prompted both awe and reflection in the viewer. Altars like this were centerpieces for the communities that gathered around them. The question of who designed this altar is an interesting one. It would have been someone who thoroughly understood the history of the Church and the traditions associated with it. We might look to the archives of religious orders and Church institutions to try to find out. This would provide additional insight into not only the specific intentions behind this particular altar, but also the general function of religious imagery.