Design of a Perspective projection for an Urn 1750 - 1817

Flaminio Innocenzo Minozzi created this drawing of an urn with pen and brown ink, with gray wash, over graphite at an unknown date. Notice the diagrammatic, almost scientific approach to depicting the urn; Minozzi isn't just showing us the urn, but the very mechanics of seeing it. Lines of perspective shoot out, anchoring the form within a rational space. The gray wash gives the urn volume, while the brown ink picks out the decorative details, creating a contrast between form and ornament. This work transcends mere representation. It's a study in the principles of perspective, a demonstration of how the three-dimensional world can be flattened onto a two-dimensional surface. By laying bare the underlying structure, Minozzi challenges the viewer to consider the gap between reality and its artistic depiction. It reminds us that what we see is always mediated, constructed through a set of rules and conventions.