Francesco I d'Este Builds the Palazzo di Sassuolo, from L'Idea di un Principe ed Eroe Cristiano in Francesco I d'Este, di Modena e Reggio Duca VIII [...]

Art Historical Context

This etching, created in 1659 by Bartolomeo Fenice and Gamberti, captures Francesco I d'Este the construction of the grand Palazzo di Sassuolo. Titled *Francesco I d'Este the Palazzo di Sassuolo*, it forms part of the celebratory publication *L'I di un Principe ed E Cristiano in Francesco I dste*, which exalted the Modenese ruler as a model Christian prince and hero. intimate scale—sheet measuring just 4 3/4 × 6 5/16 inches—suggests it was designed for a bound volume, allowing widespread dissemination of the duke's architectural legacy. Etching, a precise intaglio technique involving acid-bitten metal plates, was ideal for rendering fine architectural details and bustling construction scenes in the Baroque era. Here, it highlights the duke's patronage amid workers and scaffolding, symbolizing power, piety, and cultural ambition in 17th-century Italy. Palazzo di Sassuolo, a lavish Baroque residence near Modena, embodied the era's opulent princely ideals, blending functionality with grandeur. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to the Elisha Whittelsey Collection, this print offers a window into how art served political propaganda, immortalizing a ruler's vision for posterity.

About the Artist

Bartolomeo Fenice (Fénis)|Domenico Gamberti (Italian|Italian) · | – |

|