Allegory of the Four Elements - Earth
1739-1752
Classification
Bound print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-217-5
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Created by the Italian artist Jacopo Amigoni between 1739 and 1752, *Allegory of the Four Elements - Earth* forms part of a series exploring the classical theme of nature’s building blocks. Amigoni, active during the height of the Rococo period, frequently turned to mythological and allegorical subjects that blended graceful figures with symbolic meaning. This particular work, preserved as a bound print in the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection, reflects the era’s fascination with representing elemental forces through elegant, accessible imagery. As a print rather than a unique pain...