Accession Number
1958/1.64

Title
Elevation of a Small Domed Church

Artist(s)
Giuseppe Barberi

Object Creation Date
1777-1784

Medium & Support
pen and brown ink with ink wash

Dimensions
10 7/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. ( 26.5 cm x 17 cm )

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Label copy
Gallery Rotation Spring 2013
Giuseppe Barberi
Italy, 1746–1809
Elevation of a small domed church
1777–84
Pen and brown ink with ink wash
Museum purchase, 1958/1.64
Giuseppe Barberi
Italy, 1746–1809
Elevation of a small
domed church
1746–1809
Pen and brown ink with ink wash
Museum purchase, 1958/1.65
A silversmith by profession, Giuseppe Barberi also created designs for city plans, civic, domestic and ecclesiastical architecture, and monuments. These studies of church facades reveal Barberi’s interest in stage design. The church on the left is a single-story building with a temple front made up of an entablature and pediment supported by four Ionic columns. A dome rising on a high, windowed drum would have provided light to the church’s interior. The church on the right has a two-story elevation and a dome above the central space. Barberi also included the architectural sculptures that adorn the structures: acroteria or roof sculptures on the first church, and sculptural figures placed in outside niches on the second.

Subject matter
Giuseppe Barberi was trained as a silversmith but also created civic plans, including domestic and church architecture.

Physical Description
The sketch for a church is presented with the view towards the door. The church has a portico entrance with columns and and pediment. Above that his a high glazed drum supporting the dome. Atop the dome is a lantern and cross. At the ends of the entableture are sculptures of standing figures. The sides of the stucture appear to be quite shallow, suggesting that the church is a short-armed Greek cross or even round in plan.

Primary Object Classification
Drawing

Primary Object Type
architectural drawing

Additional Object Classification(s)
Drawing

Collection Area
Western

Rights
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Keywords
agricultural buildings
churches (buildings)
studies (rooms)