Naumachia in the Court of Palazzo Pitti, from an Album with Plates documenting the Festivities of the 1589 Wedding of Arch Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici and Christine of Lorraine
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
plate: 9 5/8 x 14 1/8 in. (24.5 x 35.8 cm) sheet: 10 1/4 x 15 3/16 in. (26.1 x 38.6 cm)
Classification
Prints|Books
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1931
Accession Number
31.72.5(11)
Tags
Art Historical Context
This etching captures a spectacular naumachia, or mock naval battle, staged in the courtyard of Florence’s Palazzo Pitti as part of the lavish festivities celebrating the 1589 marriage of Grand Duke Ferdinand I de’ Medici and Christine of Lorraine. Designed by the celebrated architect and stage designer Bernardo Buontalenti and etched by Orazio Scarabelli, the print belongs to an album documenting the Medici wedding’s theatrical events. The scene shows ornate ships maneuvering in a flooded courtyard transformed into a temporary lake, complete with towers, bridges, and costumed combatants. Suc...
About the Artist
Bernardo Buontalenti (Bernardo delle Girandole)|Orazio Scarabelli (Italian|Italian) · 1500 |1526 –1571 |1608
Italian, Florence 1500–1571 Florence|Italian, Florence ca. 1531–1608 Florence