Elevation for a Catafalque Surmounted by Squat Obelisk, Decorated with Statues of Putti and Female Figures 1696 - 1756

Editor: We’re looking at “Elevation for a Catafalque Surmounted by Squat Obelisk, Decorated with Statues of Putti and Female Figures,” a drawing by Giuseppe Galli Bibiena, dating from between 1696 and 1756. The detail is incredible! All those twisting shapes kind of give me the architectural heebie-jeebies, like walking into a dream where buildings are trying to be clouds. What stands out to you? Curator: Ah, the baroque. It’s theatrical, isn’t it? I like how it embodies the impermanence of earthly glory. For me, this piece screams of vanity. Bibiena, a master of stage design, knew how to conjure emotion through perspective and ornamentation. Have you noticed the sheer busyness of it? It is an intricate dance between classical structure and unrestrained fantasy. I am drawn to how this theatrical design attempts to render mortality with so much ornate fluff! I have to ask, does the work say more about death or performance to you? Editor: That’s a great question! I’m torn, to be honest. The “fluff” as you call it, gives it a celebratory mood. A memorial or performance, but perhaps the two can intertwine. Now that you mention the staging and fantasy of it all, that element seems far more present to me. It is almost celebratory, like something on wheels fit for the grandest carnival. Curator: Precisely! Think of these structures as temporary monuments—erected for a grand occasion, only to be dismantled soon after. It invites us to ponder life, loss, and the stories we weave. Editor: Well, it’s certainly given me a lot to think about, that's for sure. Curator: Agreed. The way art holds up a mirror to our deepest thoughts, hopes, and even fears… I never get tired of that conversation.