Design for an Altar or Monument with Angels and Other Figures 1550 - 1600

Peter Candid created this design for an altar or monument with pen and brown ink, likely towards the end of the 16th century. Born in the Netherlands but active in Florence and Munich, Candid straddled the artistic cultures of Northern and Southern Europe, a point well illustrated by the architectural style and the idealized figures that can be seen in this sketch. The classicizing style of the Italian Renaissance had spread northwards, and artists were seeking to integrate it with the existing gothic styles. A monument such as this would have been a focal point of religious life, reinforcing the power of the church through its sheer material presence. Art historians use drawings like these to understand how large projects were planned and organized. By looking at this artwork and other resources, we can better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production in the early modern period.