The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1778: A Countryside Belevedere with Hercules and Antaeus
1778
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1778
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This drawing shows a grand, fake outdoor stage set up like a palace. Statues of muscular men stand on top, and a staircase leads up to a central statue of a seated figure. Around it, people in old-fashioned clothes walk, ride horses, or pull a cart. The scene looks like a mix of a temple and a garden, with columns, vases, and trees. The text at the bottom calls it a "prima macchina," which means it was a temporary stage built for a special event. The artist made it look like a real place, but it was just a set. Next, look up technique: etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.
