Prince Raimondo di Sangro disentangling himself from the net of worldly cares with the help of his winged genius, after the marble statue by Francesco Queirolo in the Capella di Sansevero, Naples

Art Historical Context

This lithograph from around 1840–50 reproduces one of the most celebrated Baroque sculptures in Naples: Francesco Queirolo’s marble figure of Prince Raimondo di Sangro freeing himself from a net of worldly cares, guided by a winged genius. Located in the Cappella Sansevero, the original statue embodies the prince’s fascination with Enlightenment ideals, science, and spiritual liberation. The dramatic composition—showing the prince struggling upward while an angelic figure assists—captures the tension between earthly burdens and higher aspiration that defined much of Raimondo’s life as a scholar, military leader, and patron of the arts. Created through the relatively new medium of lithography, this print allowed a wider audience to experience Queirolo’s intricate marble work at a time when travel to Italy remained limited. Lithography’s ability to convey fine detail and subtle shading made it ideal for reproducing sculpture, helping to spread knowledge of Neapolitan masterpieces across Europe and beyond. Housed today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the sheet stands as both a faithful record of an extraordinary statue and a testament to the 19th-century desire to share great art with new generations of viewers.

About the Artist

Francesco Maria Queirolo|Francesco Wenzel (Italian|Italian) · 1704 |1827 –1762 |1850

Italian, Genoa 1704–1762 Naples|Italian, active Naples, 1827–50