Published on The Morgan Library & Museum (https://www.themorgan.org)

Home > Workshop of Bibiena family

Workshop of Bibiena family

Zoom image
Download image: 
Image icon 436757v_0001.jpg
Workshop of Bibiena family
Stage Design: Palace Interior with Stairs to the Right
ca. 1700
Pen and brown ink and gray wash on paper.
5 3/16 x 4 inches (131 x 102 mm)
Gift of Jules Fisher.
2021.41
Notes: 

In his "Direzioni della prospettiva teorica" of 1732, Ferdinando Bibiena lamented that the architectural worlds he imagined often lost some of their magic as they proceeded from initial sketches--see also 2021.40--to finished sets: "No doubt the major difficulty that arises in the creation of theatrical scenes and other large scenes in perspective is that of the difference between the original ideal and the final execution. When a sketch or rough drawing is made, the first concept is greatly reduced. One then designs on paper according to the rules of perspective and architecture, but these constraints much diminish the idea. And when the scene is constructed, even more of the spirit that was in the original concept is lost."

Provenance: 
Jules Fisher.
Associated names: 

Fisher, Jules, former owner.

Catalog link: 
See more information ยป
Artist page: 
Bibiena family
School: 
Italian
Century: 
18th century
Classification: 
Drawing
Department: 
Drawings and Prints