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The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1785: A Pleasure Palace with an Air Balloon

Francesco Barbazza

1785

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Architectural

Dominant colour

The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1785: A Pleasure Palace with an Air Balloon is a 1785 ink by Francesco Barbazza, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Francesco Barbazza
When & what style?: 1785 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This drawing shows a fake palace made of wood and fabric, with two tall towers and a big globe in the middle. People in 18th-century clothes walk around it, some on stairs, others on the ground. The scene looks like a stage set, with tiny statues on the roof and a peacock perched on top of one tower. The globe is lit on fire, which might be part of a show or celebration. The text at the bottom hints this was built for a special event in 1785. Want to know more? Check out the technique: etching.