A Sailing Ship
Medium
transportation
Classification
transportation
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-608
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Filippo Marchionni’s “A Sailing Ship,” created around 1780, captures the enduring fascination with maritime travel during the late Enlightenment. As an Italian architect, painter, and draftsman active in Rome, Marchionni often blended precise observation with elegant line work. This drawing reflects his interest in both technical accuracy and the romantic allure of the sea, a subject that resonated across Europe at a time when naval power shaped global trade and exploration. Sailing vessels like the one depicted were central to 18th-century life, carrying goods, ideas, and people across ocean...