Design for a Stage Set (recto); Architectural Design (verso) 1780 - 1804

This stage set design was created by Francesco Navone using pen, black ink, and gray wash. Navone, an Italian architect and designer, lived through a period of immense social and political change, witnessing the decline of the old aristocratic order and the rise of revolutionary ideas. Navone's design aesthetic was shaped by the cultural trends of his time, including the burgeoning Neoclassical movement which embraced a return to the aesthetic ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. This movement also signified a departure from the ornate styles of the preceding Baroque and Rococo periods. Look closely, and you can see how Neoclassical influences led artists to seek order, clarity, and rationality in their work. How might Neoclassicism have influenced Navone’s vision for stage design, in its pursuit of harmony and balance? Consider also, how stage designs can be used to elicit an emotional response, and to transport audiences to another world. In this piece, we see a world that invites contemplation of the past and reflection on human nature itself.