Designs for Mirror Frames and Sconces 1698 - 1765

Giovanni Battista Natali III made these designs for mirror frames and sconces around 1741 using pen and brown ink with gray wash on paper. The drawing is a portal into the labor and artistic skill required to produce luxury goods in the 18th century. Consider the elaborate, curving forms. To realize these designs, a craftsman would need to be highly skilled in carving, likely working with wood or plaster. They'd translate Natali's two-dimensional vision into three-dimensional objects, a process requiring precision, experience, and an understanding of materials. The finished pieces would then be gilded, adding another layer of specialized labor. These objects speak to the dynamics of production and consumption in the 1700s. While Natali conceived the designs, the actual making involved a network of skilled artisans. Reflecting on this, we see how so-called “fine art” relies on other creative practices and aesthetics, whose skilled traditions blur the lines of demarcation.