Plafond met verzonken rechthoek en bustes before 1800

This ceiling design with a sunken rectangle and busts was created anonymously. Architectural drawings like this one were fundamental in shaping perceptions of power and status during periods when design and ornamentation reflected social hierarchies. The symmetry and classical motifs speak to the aspirations of those who commissioned such designs—to align themselves with historical notions of grandeur, authority, and taste. However, these images also prompt us to consider who was included in these visions of power, and who was excluded. Were women, people of color, or lower social classes represented in these spaces or in the artistic process? Looking at this work, consider the silent narratives embedded in the design: the stories of artisans, patrons, and the countless unnamed individuals whose lives were shaped by the spaces these designs envisioned. How do these historical designs influence our contemporary understanding of space, power, and identity?