Numbered on back: "14" "35"
Engraving for the Festival of the Chinea of 1765 presented by Lorenzo Colonna for Pope Clement XIII.
One of an extensive series of engravings celebrating the Festa della Chinea for Benedict XIV, Clement XIII, Clement XIV, and Pius VI, designed by Giuseppe Vasi (Corleone, Sicily, 1710-1782 Rome) and Giuseppe Palazzi after Paolo Posi (Siena 1708-1776).
The "presentazione della chinea" was a secular homage to the Popes; the tribute consisted of a white horse (chinea) and a sum of money or gold. The ceremony appears to have originated in the 10th century and was repeated annually until 1788. Elaborate structures for fireworks machinery were erected for the festivities. Captioned prints depicting the temporary structures used in the Festa della Chinea were designed by the architects to the princely Roman family of Colonna, namely Alessandro Specchi, Gabriele Valvassori, Bartolomeo Poli, Nicola Michetti, and Paolo Posi. Engravers include: Francesco Aquila, Gasparo Massi, Filippo Vasconi, Giovanni Battista Sintes, Giuseppe Pozzi, Giuseppe Vasi, and Andrea Rossi. Until the hiatus of 1734-1737 (occasioned by political events) the macchine de' fuochi d'artificio were largely allegorical/mythological in nature, after the break they continued thus until 1745 after which they became predominantly architectural.
Library has 12 engravings, dates ranging from 1754 to 1776.