Scaffolding Erected for the Restoration of the Vault in St. Peter's Basilica: Overview of the Nave 1773

This print by Giacomo Sangermano captures the nave of St. Peter's Basilica, with scaffolding erected for vault restoration. The print itself is an etching, a process involving careful layering of ink on a metal plate to create fine lines and details. What's fascinating is how the etching reveals the labor and engineering that underpin even the most monumental spaces. The scaffolding, constructed from wood and rope, stands in stark contrast to the ornate architecture of the basilica. This juxtaposition highlights the behind-the-scenes work required to maintain such a massive structure, a process that is usually hidden from view. The artist's skilled hand transforms the Basilica into a construction site, making the restoration work visible. This challenges our assumptions about the artistic labor involved in construction and architecture, as it highlights the social issues of labor, craftsmanship, and the amount of work involved in production. By turning a practical scene into art, Sangermano invites us to value the labor that sustains the splendor around us, questioning the traditional separation of art from craft.