Grotesque Heads
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Hugh Cassel
Accession Number
1958-143-10
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
### Grotesque Heads Pietro Antonio Novelli (1728–1804), a Venetian artist of the Rococo era, created *Grotesque Heads* between 1750 and 1775. Working in Italy during a time when decorative arts flourished amid the opulent tastes of the Venetian Republic, Novelli specialized in whimsical figures, capricci, and intricate etchings that captured the playful yet exaggerated spirit of 18th-century caricature. This artwork, classified as "figures" and now housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (gift of Hugh Cassel), exemplifies his fascination with fantastical human forms, a nod t...