Two Urns Decorated with Human Figures, Animals and Garlands.

Description

Two Urns Decorated with Human Figures, Animals and Garlands pairs vessels of contrasting proportions. The urn at the left has a broad, swelling body above its pedestal, while the other rises in a more slender, column-like form. Handles, relief figures and animal ornament interrupt their outlines, encouraging the eye to move between the principal shapes and the smaller decorative forms attached to them.

This undated drawing is catalogued as a work after Polidoro da Caravaggio. Brown ink, brown and gray washes and white gouache over graphite allow line, shadow and bright accents to contribute separately to the design. The sheet combines attention to the urns as three-dimensional forms with an interest in their richly worked surfaces, inviting the eye to move between structure and decoration.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Polidoro da Caravaggio collection.