Artwork

The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1772: A Square with a Game Market and the Pantheon Fountain

The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1772: A Square with a Game Market and the Pantheon Fountain is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Giuseppe Vasi. It dates from 1772 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:Lettered LL: "Cavalier Paolo Posi Architetto" and "Giuseppe Palazzi delin." and LR: "Cavalier Giuseppe Vasi incise" Lettered LC, below image: "Disegno della Seconda Machina rappresentante una Piazza con Mercato di Cacciagione sull'idea di quella della Rotonda di Roma ... 29 Giugno 1772 ... Clemente XIV"

About this work

Overview

Giuseppe Vasi’s 1772 etching, titled The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea, depicts a bustling urban square dominated by a large central edifice. The composition includes a fountain before the building, a balcony lined with statues, and a crowd of pedestrians, riders and seated figures scattered across a rocky pavement.

Subject & Meaning

The scene captures a public gathering place during the Chinea festivities, a ceremonial event that brought together military displays and civic celebration. The presence of the fountain and the statuary balcony underscores the square’s role as a focal point for communal activity and visual spectacle.

Technique & Style

Vasi employed the traditional etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate to render intricate architectural details and the varied textures of stone, water and human figures. The linear network creates a convincing sense of depth, reflecting the prevalent 18th‑century approach to topographical prints.

History & Provenance

Created in 1772 as part of the Seconda Macchina series for the annual Chinea procession, the print was circulated among patrons interested in Rome’s urban landscape. It remains an example of Vasi’s extensive documentation of the city’s public spaces during the late Baroque period.