Mr. Pergolesi's Curious Things: Ornament in 18th-Century Britan

This exhibition will showcase fanciful drawings and prints by Michel AngeloPergolesi (d. 1801), an Italian-born painter, printmaker, and ornament designerwho moved to London in ca. 1760 to embellish homes built by Robert Adam, theinfluential Neoclassical architect. Brilliantly hued watercolors from CooperHewitt’s collection highlight Pergolesi’s skill in transforming ancient relicsinto lighthearted decorative motifs. Rarely-seen drawings will be paired withPergolesi’s related ink sketches, collages, and etchings from The MorganLibrary & Museum—offering viewers an opportunity to examine, for the firsttime, the artist’s delightfully idiosyncratic design process. Examples ofantique and antique-inspired decorative arts capture the period’s passion forthe ancient world. With heightened awareness for decoration, visitors will beencouraged to consider the dense Neoclassical ornament found throughout themuseum’s historic Carnegie Mansion and New York City.

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