biglam/cooper-hewitt-alt-text huggingface dataset:
Portrait of Antonius Triest, Bishop of Ghent
Francesco (Felice) Polanzani, Italian, 1700 – after 1783, 1748
Engraving on paper
Print

Instead of the half-length portrait by van Dyck, Polanzani has engraved only the head, which is in reverse from the engraving by Van Dyck. The sitter's face is in three-quarter view towards left. Draperies around the neck.
Designs for a Mantelpiece
Giuseppe Barberi, Italian, 1746–1809, ca. 1785
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on off-white laid paper, lined
Drawing

The left halves are shown. Left row: an entablature is supported by a column with a frieze and representations around it; it is without a capital. Below: the entablature is supported by two caryatids standing upon bases. Center: the opening is framed by stripes. The upper part is decorated with drapery festoons. In front, at left, a trophy of carpenter tools, in the center an Egyptian head, behind which are a carpenter's square, an oar and trident, crossed. Inside the opening, an Egyptian woman sits upon a fluted column, in front of the left wall, in profile. Below is a dado with a crouching lion, with an urn on its back. Sketched inside the opening is the left side of a couped obelisk with the forepart of a sphinx, shown in profile, laterally. At the front a trophy of arms. Right row: the entablature is supported by a pilaster strip, with the sun above. Beside it are two female figures with flower pots upon their heads. Beside, at left, a sketch for the decoration of the molding. Below, the lower part has the shape of a molded frame, with a caryatid standing inside. Above is an entablature with a frieze in which sphinxes support circular medallions. Colored background.
Un Rocher dans les Communaux de Rix (Ain)
Adolphe Appian, French, 1818 - 1898, 1862
Etching in dark brown ink on cream paper
Print

A woman kneels at the edge of a pool, from which cliffs rise in right distance. Cows graze on top of cliff.
Elevation of Proposed House for George Eustis, Esq.
McKim Mead and White, 1896–98
Photostat (a wash drawing), on white wove paper
Photostat

From 1896 to 1898 Whitney Warren worked intermittently in the offices of McKim, Mead & White as a draftsman, this drawing of a proposed house for George Eustis, however, was to be his own commission. The house is to be three stories, below a roof with a prominent cornice, and with a classically inspired facade.
The Artist in the Country, from Appletons' Journal of Literature, Science and Art, June 19, 1869, Cover
Winslow Homer, American, 1836–1910, 1869
Wood engraving on white wove paper
Print

Artist with porkpie hat and mustache sits on a camp stool at a portable easel under a white umbrella.  A knapsack in the right foreground is evidence of the overland trek required to reach such a remote site in the White Mountain wilderness.  Well-dressed young lady watches artist at work.
Table
, mid-19th century
Silver filigree
Miniature

Circular top centered with a medallion enclosing a five-pointed star and a six-petalled floral ornament. On baluster-shaped standard, tripod legs.
Design for the Plan of the Porte S. Denis
Martin Marvie, French, 1713–1813, ca. 1750
Engraving on paper
Print

Plan, side elevation. Inscribed upper right, Line "V. No. IV, Planche 1/2"; lower right: 310 and 311".
Wooded Shoreline, Lake Millinocket, Maine
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, 1878
Graphite on white wove paper
drawing

Landscape and botanical sketches showing a view of the heavily wooded shoreline of Lake Millinocket in Maine, and a detail of a tall, slender conifer tree positioned along the right margin. At center, the lake's surface extends from the foreground to the middle distance, where it encounters the lake's curving shoreline and the towering mass of trees and vegetation that rises from it. These woods are loosely rendered and partially enshrouded in darkness.
The Virgin with the Child
Fortunato Duranti, Italian, 1787 - 1863, 1820–1850
Graphite, pen and ink on paper
Drawing

The Virgin is sitting on the ground, seen from the right side. The Child sits in her lap; she is holding him. The head of the Virgin is turned toward her right shoulder.
Design for Salon Entrance Wall
Giuseppe Barberi, Italian, 1746–1809, 1746–1809
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on off-white laid paper, lined
Drawing

The hall has a barrel vault, three compartments. A half-circular window is in each of them, above the entablature. Four Corinthian columns are the supports. In the intercolumniation are doors. The entablature of their frames are connected by entablatures. The overdoors have the shape of oblongs. The fill the space between the lower and the upper entablature. Left and right of the doors stand statues upon pedestals. Measurements are inscribed.
Design for a Monstrance
Thomas Lainé, French, 1682 – 1739, late 18th century
Etching on laid paper
Print

A printed sheet from a series of thirty designs for moldings, carved frames, doors, chimneys, and liturgical objects. A design for a monstrance, decorated with sun rays, winged putti mascarons, branches of wheat and grapes, acanthus leaf, c-scrolls, shell, and gadroon ornament. The lower section is decorated with floral fretwork and a profile portrait of Jesus Christ in the middle. The plate is signed and numbered.
Designs for Two Console Tables, with a Female Head
Giuseppe Barberi, Italian, 1746–1809, 1789–1793
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on off-white laid paper, lined
Drawing

From left to right. The head seen in profile, turned toward right. The left side of a table. The leg is a round post of increasing diameter springing from a calyx, entwined by a garland, with a fluted capital. Frame and top form an entablature, with drapery festoons in the frieze. The left side of a table. The leg is a gaine with a satyr's head and a drapery, with a tortoise as a foot. The legs are connected below with a central motif: a stem between birds. Frame and top in the shape of cornices of an entablature. Usual background.
Designs for Clock Cases
Richard de Lalonde, French, active 1780–96, 1780-1789
Etching on off-white laid paper
Print

Designs for two clock cases decorated with ornament motifs including trophies, meallions, garland, acanthus leaves, urns, floral bouquets, sphynxes, doves, quivers, mascaron. The plate is signed and numbered.
Pair of earrings
, 1850–75
Hair, gold

Earrings of five pendants and one ball made of brown hair arranged around a trumpet-shaped support of gold, placed below two gold leaves on a gold ring.
Man in a Winter Landscape
Jean-Baptiste Pillement, French, 1728–1808, mid- 18th–late 18th century
Etching on laid paper
Bound print

A chinoiserie-style print from a series of allegorical representations of the twelve months of the year, depicting February.  A man stands in the middle of a winter landscape, possibly shovelling snow. There is a railing behind him with a large rock formation in the background. The scene is framed by trees, plants and rocks. The plate is numbered.
Tree Roots, Catskill, New York
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, July 1844
Graphite on white wove paper
drawing

Botanical sketch showing a close view of the base of a tree and its roots in Catskill, New York. These spindly, organic forms are rendered almost entirely in outline.
Mountain Sketches
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, August - September, 1868
Graphite on gray-green wove paper; verso: graphite
Drawing

Landscape sketches showing two views of mountains, separated by a diagonal line at center left. At left, a steep, wooded gorge between two mountains is visible. At right, a craggy, serrated mountain is visible in the distance, surrounded by clouds. Sloping, wooded hills comprise the foreground.

Verso: Landscape sketch showing an unfinished view of rocky pinnacles at the peak of a mountain, with another ridge faintly rendered behind it.
Study for a dancing woman, “Moods to Music,” Mendelssohn Glee Club, New York, NY
Robert Frederick Blum, American, 1857–1903, 1880–1883
Pen and ink, graphite on paper
Drawing

Center, Sketch of figures dancing with musical instruments; Right, Sketch of three figures.
Design for a Panel
, ca. 1780
Pen, ink with water color on paper
Drawing

Design for a panel with semi-circular ends, top, and bottom. A trophy of pastoral objects and a flower basket are suspended from a bracket. A circular medallion is in the center, showing Cupid having shot an arrow and standing on clouds. The doves of Venus are beside him at left. Tops of trees in the right distance. Framing line and striped. Verso: green crayon scribbling and scrolls.
Design for a Balustrade
Gabriel Bonthomme, France, active ca. 1775, 1775
Etching on paper
Print

Design for a wrought iron balcony balustrade featuring scrolling leaves, foliage, beads, and bands of fluting, ovals, c-scrolls, and s-scrolls. The plate is signed.
One of a set of projects for a title page and the decoration of a horizontal panel
Francesco Bedeschini, Italian, 1675-1699
Pen, brush, sepia
Drawing

The panel has an elaborated frame, the outermost borderline of which is framing the drawing. Acanthus rinceau with two winged putti. Intended to be engraved
Dossier du Sopha A, Tabouret Octogone, Moulure du Tabouret
Richard de Lalonde, French, active 1780–96, 1775-1788
Etching on off-white laid paper
Print

Carpentry design for the backrest of the sofa represented in 1921-6-331-38, as well as the design for an octagonal stool and details of the carving of the stool's legs and molding, decorated with ornament motifs including rosette, bead course, and fluting. The plate is signed and numbered.
Fragment
, 17th century
silk Technique: voided, cut and uncut pile in a satin foundation (ciselé velvet) Label: Silk cut, uncut velvet in a satin foundation

Floral form with large leaves and blossoms in deep plum (almost black) on a white background.
Sampler
Mary Hallowell, American, 1832
silk embroidery on linen foundation Technique: embroidered in cross, half-cross, satin, stem, rococo, chain, four-sided, roumanian and running stitches on plain weave foundation

Large basket of flowers with scattered motifs including birds, squirrels, butterflies, and floral sprays, with a verse and inscription; the border is made up of four different floral patterns. The verse reads: 

I am often like the lonesome dove
That mourns its absent mate
From hill to hill from vale to vale
Its sorrows to relate
But canaans land is just before
Sweet spring is coming on
A few more beating winds and rains
And winter will be gone
Elevation of a church
Giuseppe Barberi, Italian, 1746–1809, 1796
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash on lined off-white laid paper
Drawing

A variation of 1938-88-1236. The main differences are the omission of the most receding third lateral sections and the broadening of the central section. Six columns are shown, framing all three doors. Windows are in the lateral sections.
Trimming
, 19th century
silk Technique: supplementary warp pile (velvet) on satin ground

Red trimming fragment in a design of an angular stem with leaves.
Fragment
, mid-19th century
cotton Technique: printed on plain weave

Fragment in two pieces of a Turkish scene showing a man and two women on a balcony with buildings and palm trees in the background. Large, leafy fronds with flowers fill the foreground. A conventionalized border frames the scene.
Five Circular Representations of Young Women
Fortunato Duranti, Italian, 1787 - 1863, ca. 1820
A: graphite, pen and ink, brush and sepia on paper; B: Graphite, brush and watercolor on paper.
Drawing

A: Upper row. At left: Sitting in a side chair, a young woman raises with her right hand a medallion, supported by a ribbon, her head seen in profile. At right: half-figure of a standing young woman, raising her shawl with her left hand. She stands toward the right, her head is seen frontally. Center beloe: half-figure of a young woman, standing in front of two broken columns, seen frontally, her head turned toward right. Framing line. B: Reverse, at right: three-quarter figure of a young woman, sitting at a table upon which her right arm leans, raising her left hand in which she carries a letter. Her skirt is brown, her blouse green, a blue shawl is visible at the back of the chair, where her left forearm rests. In the background is a dado, with a group of columns in the center and clouds laterally. Center below: half-figure of a standing young woman, with a bunch of flowers in her left hand.
Head of a Man
F. Torond, English, ca. 1785–1790
Engraving in brown ink on white paper
Print

The man, seen in profile, faces right. He wears a cloth head-covering, and has a white beard.
Psyche Asks Proserpine to Put a Little of her Beauty in an Urn for Venus
Johann August Nahl The Younger, German, 1752 - 1825, ca. 1781
Lead pencil, pen and dark ink, brush and black and gray watercolors on paper
Drawing

Drawing after a fresco devised by Giulio Romano in the Palazzo del Te in Manuta. Pluto sits beside Proserpine. Two Erynis, one of them with Cerberus, and probably Charon are looking on. Without indication of the locality. The lower and part of the upper framing of the lunette are indicated.
Design for a Book Cover
Alice Cordelia Morse, American, 1863–1961, ca. 1887–1903
Brush and gouache on paper
Drawing

On yellow ground, green knotted design in shape of teardrop with red.
Horseshoe Falls, Niagara River, Canada
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, 1856 or 1858
Graphite and white gouache on gray-green wove paper; verso: graphite
Drawing

Landscape sketch showing a view of the top of Horseshoe Falls on the Niagara River, viewed from the Canadian bank. Water cascades in ribbons over of the curving edge of the falls, which extends horizontally across the composition. The terrapin tower is shown at far left, while a distant cloud is shown on the horizon at far right.

Verso: Unfinished, loose botanical sketch of the trunk and lower boughs of a tree near Niagara Falls. Smaller branches are predominantly excluded from the view.
Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris
Charles Nicolas Ransonnette, French, 1793 - 1877, 1825–1840
Graphite, black crayon on two pieces of paper pasted together
Drawing

View from the east transept toward the towers of the façade.
Fragment
, 17th century
silk Technique: cut and uncut supplementary warp pile (velvet) on satin ground

Fragment of deep wine-colored cut and uncut velvet on self-colored satin ground. Large-scale symmetrical floral motif with two large blossoms on curved stems at the bottom of the piece.
Design for a Cross with Alternative Suggestions
Pietro Belli, Italian, 1780–1828, early 19th century
Pen and ink, brush and black wash on paper
Drawing

Vertical rectangle. A cross pommée with rays in the corners, and cherubim at the ends of the limbs, stands on a baluster which is supported by a vase on a pedestal. The alternative suggestions refer to the shaft and foot. The pedestal is supported by a lion with a rinceau tail at left, and by lion feet at right.
Tiraz
, 10th–12th century
silk, linen Technique: slit tapestry

Central section of interlacing strapwork with bands of writing at top and bottom.
Christ and the Virgin with Patron Saints of Pistoia
Giacinto Gimignani, Italian, 1606 - 1681, 1638
Brush and gray wash, pen and brown ink, black chalk, white gouache on cream paper.
Drawing

Attributed to Gimignani by Nicolas Turner and Ursula Pace.  According to the latter, preparatory for now destroyed  picture formerly in the Cathedral of Pistonia.  Saints may be Lucy, Magdalene, St, James, Ursula, Hatto, and Sabastian.
F.S. Church in His Studio, Illustration for Harper's Weekly (XXXVII, No. 1919, September 30, 1893, p. 959)
Frederick Stuart Church, American, 1842–1924, September 30, 1893
Printed in black ink on paper
Ephemera

Frederick Stuart Church in his studio in front of his paintings. Church faces the viewer, holding a brush in his right hand which rests on the arm of his chair and a palate and brushes in his left. He is working on the painting to the right of the image. He wears pince-nez glasses. Below the image is an accompanying article about Church.
Sacrifice of Noah
Pietro Novelli, Italian, 1603 - 1647, early 17th century
Brush and brown wash, pen and ink on white laid paper
Drawing

Depiction of the Sacrifice of Noah. At right, figure of Noah is kneeling at the foot of a brick altar.  His sacrifice of a ram is shown on the altar amongst the fire, while a cloud of smoke rises from it.  At left, a crowd looks on. Vase with handle in the foreground, perhaps for pouring libations. Drawing contained within ovoid.
Trophy Designs
Pierre Ranson, French, 1736–1786, 1777–79
Etching on paper
Print

Six designs for trophies incorporating leaves, flowers, fruit, baskets, festoons of flowers, scythe, bucket, shovel, tambourine, jester's wand (marotte), mask, birds, quiver of arrows, and grapes. The plate is numbered.
Cartouche with Bird and Putti, Plate B
Alexis Peyrotte, French, 1699–1769, ca. 1740
Engraving on paper
Print

Cartouche with bird and putti, plate B.
Tea Caddy Spoon
Edward C. Moore (1827-1891), late 19th century
gold plated, silver
spoon

Pear-shaped bowl stamped with four concentric ridges, the tapering reeded stem with rounded terminal, embossed with a a bird among flowering plants and grass. Reverse similarly embossed with flowering plants and grass, with vacant area, and embossed lotus flower at the base of the stem.
Desert Canyon, Palestine (Israel)
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, February–March 1868
Graphite on white wove paper; verso graphite
Drawing

Landscape sketch showing a view of a deep canyon in the deserts of present-day Israel. In the foreground, two rocky ridges converge towards lower center, framing a view of a sheer canyon wall across a deep rift in the middle distance. The canyon's rugged rim and background mountains comprise the upper portion of the composition.

Verso: Landscape sketch showing a view of a dramatic, rocky ledge in deserts of present-day Israel. Situated at center, the ledge gently ascends upward to the right, with its sheer, curving edges revealing that layered bands of rock strata that lie beneath. A group of bushes are loosely rendered at right.
Cup and Saucer
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, German, active from 1710 to the present, mid- 18th century
hard paste porcelain, vitreous enamel
cup and saucer

Cup with simple loop handle; saucer deep, with curved sides.  Inside of cup and saucer white, with scattered flowers; outside of cup and underside of rim of saucer yellow, with white reserve panels, on cup, in which are flowers.  Edges of cup and saucer brown.
Sketch: A right and a left hand
Donato Creti, Italian, 1671–1749, 1700–1750
Coal on blue-grey paper
Drawing

Horizontal composition of two lightly sketched hands framed by an octagonal piece of paper. The corners of the original rectangle have been cut away. In front, written by A. Maggiori (therefore trustworthy): "Don. Creti fece." On the back, "Ales. Maggiori compro in Bologna nel 1787." Maggiori erased what appears to be a signature from a former owner: "P.H. Secani (?), 1785."
Design for a Gilt Bronze Ornament
Giovanni Battista Foggini, 1652 – 1725, 1680–1700
Pen and black and brown ink, brush and wash, white gouache, graphite on off-white laid paper
Drawing

A design for a stand with dado supported with acanthus leaves. Primarily the left portion of the design is shown while the right side is described lightly in graphite. A volute pediment is supported by acanthus rinceaux, with cornucopias forming parts of the stems. Beads are held by strings, or boughs, connecting the lower spirals of the rinceaux, cornucopias and spirals of the pediment. At top, a crown is shown above the crossing of laurel and palm boughs.
Ornamental Medallion Designs
Théodore Bertren, active in France, 18th century, 1765-1768
Etching on paper
Print

Three medallion designs aligned vertically.  The medallion at top is adorned with musical motifs, including a violin, a horn, a book, and a tambourine. The frame itself has stylized acanthus leaves. The middle medallion has attributes of the arts, including a mask, a paint palette. a tuning fork, a T-square, a pen, and a palette knife; the frame is wrapped around with leaves. The bottom medallion has garden motifs, including a woven basket, a spade, a rake, and grapevines. The plate is numbered but not signed.
Rosette Design for a Ceiling
Richard de Lalonde, French, active 1780–96, 1785-1788
Etching on off-white laid paper
Print

Rosette design for a ceiling with, from back edge to sight edge, draped bound lead, fruit and floral band, lamb tongue, fluting, lamb tongue, bound leaf, lamb tongue ornamentation. The profile of the rosette is provided below. The plate is signed and numbered.
Sidewall
, ca. 1700
Embossed leather, painted, gilded

Three mermaid figures, with fruit and foliage. Embossed and gilded.
Sidewall
, ca. 1870
Machine-printed paper

Portion of a paper showing a pattern of vines and flowers against a field divided into squares by paired white lines. Printed in white and grays on gray ground.
Juno Suckling Hercules, Hebe Marries Hercules with Help of Minerva, Designed for Sala di Ercole e Ebe, Palazzo Gaddi, Forli.
Felice Giani, Italian, 1758–1823, 1819
Pen and brown ink, brush and greyish-brown watercolor on paper.
Drawing

At left, Juno seated in domed hall. She gives right breast to child seated upon her right leg. Minerva stands beside and looks on. Caption: "Giuonone allatta Erocle/ Minerva ne gode." At right: Minerva having put her left arm around Hercules, leads him to Hebe, whose right arm she takes. Hebe has joined hands with Hercules. Cupid led her to Hercules. A table with pitcher shown left rear, Hercules club leans against the pedestal of column in right rear. Caption: "Ebe sposa di Ercole con l'asistenza di Minerva."
Design for Various Decorations including "Coriolanus at the Walls of Rome"
Felice Giani, Italian, 1758–1823, 1800–1850
Pen and brown ink, brush and wash over black chalk on laid paper
Drawing

Left row, above: "Sacrificio alla Pace" (all captions are written above octagonal panels): putto blowing double flute; at right, an altar. Center: "Trionfo delle armi:"  putto with wreath running into chariot with panoply. Below: "segnifero Romano:" putto with legionary sign beside trophy. Central row, above: Coriolanus implored by women of Rome, rising from throne at right: "Coriolano alle mura di Roma." Center: left half of decoration is roughly sketched. In center is high shaft with bowl, Rinceaux spring from it, putti and boy are between them. Bottom: left octagon with putto blowing horn beside trophy of arms, right octagon with putto bringing wood to altar. Right row, above: hexagon with trophy and rinceaux; right row, below: putto carrying standard beside panoply.
An altar dedicated to Apollo
, 1815
Black chalk on paper with double circled lily watermark
Drawing

Vertical composition of an altar featuring a tripod with griffons on a circular pedestal. The front features the inscription "S APPOLI." The top features a bowl of fire.
Design for a Holy Water Stoup
Thomas Lainé, French, 1682 – 1739, ca.1740
Pen and ink, graphite on white paper
drawing

A wall-fixture of rocaille design, ornamented with garlands and seraphs. A panel in the center shows the dove of the Holy Spirit in a sunburst. Below, a smaller panel, probably intended to contain a water receptacle.
Supply List, Lake Millinocket, Maine
Frederic Edwin Church, American, 1826–1900, September - October 1878
Graphite on white wove paper; verso: graphite
Drawing

List of supplies for Church's trip to Lake Millinocket, Maine, in the fall of 1878.

Verso: Architecture sketch showing an elevation plan of a log cabin that would become Church's cabin on the south shore of Lake Millinocket in Maine. Made up of four evenly spaced sections, the cabin features a covered entry at middle right, while the roof of the leftmost section is slanted.
Design of Patch Box Cover
, ca. 1770
Pen and black ink, brush and olive green, brown watercolor on laid paper
Drawing

An oval medallion shows a shepherdess and a shepherd with a pipe, is suspended before an oval background.