The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1752: A "Deliziosa" Alluding to Villa Carl'Amalia in Caserta

1752

Giuseppe Vasi, after Paolo Posi

Associated Names
Giuseppe Vasi

Etcher, Roman, 1710 - 1782

Paolo Posi

Artist After, Italian, 1708 - 1776

The image shows an architectural drawing of a symmetrical courtyard scene from a slightly elevated point of view. The composition is centered around an ornate column topped with a statue. The horizon is implied by the base of the architectural structures and the ground plane, lined with arches and decorated obelisks on both sides. The style of the piece is indicative of intricate line work, consistent with 18th-century etching techniques, showcasing fine details in the stonework and embellishments. The color palette is monochromatic, rendered in shades of sepia and light brown. Several human figures and a horse-drawn carriage are scattered throughout the scene, adding a sense of scale and activity. In the distance, the structures rise in complexity, framed by soft clouds.

Media Options

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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

1981

  • Scalabroni, Luisa. Giuseppe Vasi (1710-1782). Rome, 1981, no. 326.

1994

  • Gori Sassoli, Mario. Della Chinea e di altre "Macchine di gioia". Apparati architettonici per fuochi d'artificio a Roma nel Settecento. Milan, 1994, no. 53.

Inscriptions

Lettered LL: "Paolo Posi Architetto dell' Ecc Casa Colonna"
Lettered LR: "Giuseppe Vasi incise in Roma con lic. de Sup."
Lettered LC: "Prospetto della prima Machina rappresentante una Deliziosa ornata di verdure e fontane ad accennare le delizie della nuova sontuosa Villa Carl-Amalia in Caserta [...] l'Anno 1752."

Watermarks

Fleur-de-lis in a circle

Wikidata ID

Q77258638

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