Design for Ceiling 1700 - 1780

This is an anonymous design for a ceiling, rendered in graphite on paper. Ceiling designs of this kind were frequently commissioned by wealthy patrons. Spaces like this were intended to communicate power and sophistication. But, if we think about the labor involved in producing such an elaborate design, and its final execution, we might consider the many skilled hands that are not represented or recognized in the final product. We could ask: who were these anonymous draftsmen? And what about the laborers responsible for installing these ornate designs? This drawing invites us to consider the social and economic structures that underpin artistic production, and to reflect on the identities and contributions of those often left out of the historical narrative. The emotional resonance of this piece lies in its ghostly presence; the design is there, yet the individual behind its creation remains unknown.