The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1755: A Triumphal Bridge with Antiquities from Herculaneum
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 38.2 x 54.8 cm (15 1/16 x 21 9/16 in.) sheet: 43.4 x 62.8 cm (17 1/16 x 24 3/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
William B. O'Neal Fund
Accession Number
1997.111.4
Art Historical Context
Step into the grandeur of 18th-century Rome with *The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1755: A Triumphal Bridge with Antiquities from Herculaneum*, an exquisite etching by Giuseppe Vasi after designs by architect Paolo Posi. Created in 1755, this print captures the elaborate temporary architecture erected for the annual Chinea festival, a lavish celebration where Spain's ambassador gifted a white horse to the Pope. The "prima macchina"—the festival's first monumental structure—depicts a triumphal bridge adorned with ancient sculptures excavated from Herculaneum, blending Baroque spectacle with...