Elevation for a Catafalque Surmounted by Squat Obelisk, Decorated with Statues of Putti and Female Figures

Art Historical Context

This exquisite drawing by Giuseppe Galli Bibiena a master of the Bibiena family’s renowned Baroque scenography, presents an *Elevation for a Catafal Surmounted by Squatelisk, Decorated Statues of Putti Female Figures*. Created between 1696 and 1756, it depicts a grand temporary funerary structure—a catafalque—topped by a sturdy obelisk and adorned with playful putti (cherubic figures) and elegant female statues. Such designs were hallmarks of 18th-century Italian festival architecture, blending theatrical drama with solemn ritual for noble funerals or commemorative events. Executed in pen with brown ink and gray wash on a modest 20 x 14 3/16-inch sheet, the work showcases Bibiena’s virtuosic technique. The precise ink lines delineate architectural forms, while subtle gray washes add depth and shadow, evoking the illusionistic perspectives for which the Bibienas were celebrated in opera houses across Europe. This medium was ideal for preparatory sketches, allowing architects to convey scale, texture, and grandeur to patrons or builders. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Drawings and Prints department, this piece highlights the Baroque fusion of architecture, sculpture, and performance. It invites us to imagine flickering candlelight illuminating its ornate details during a lavish ceremony, a poignant reminder of mortality amid opulent display.

About the Artist

Giuseppe Galli Bibiena

Giuseppe Galli Bibiena was born on January 5, 1696, in Parma, into what would become the most celebrated dynasty of theatrical designers in Baroque Europe. He was the second son of Ferdinando Galli Bibiena, who was himself a transformative figure in stage design and the originator of the family's defining innovation: the scena per angolo, or "scene viewed at an angle." This technique replaced the ...