Girandola at Castel Sant’Angelo c. 1781 - 1785
francescopiranesi
pencil drawn
photo of handprinted image
natural shape and form
light pencil work
pencil sketch
light coloured
incomplete sketchy
charcoal drawing
carved into stone
watercolor
Francesco Piranesi's "Girandola at Castel Sant’Angelo" (c. 1781-1785), a detailed etching, captures the vibrant spectacle of fireworks exploding over Rome's iconic Castel Sant’Angelo. The artwork showcases Piranesi's mastery of detail, rendering the architectural grandeur of the castle and the surrounding cityscape with precision. The artist effectively uses light and shadow to convey the dynamic energy of the fireworks display, creating a mesmerizing visual narrative. The etching's presence in the Rijksmuseum highlights its significance as a historical and artistic document of Roman life in the 18th century.
Comments
The <girandole> was the firework display lit from the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome during Easter festivities. It lasted a full hour, reaching a climax at nine o’clock in the evening, with a fan-shaped shower of stars as the grand finale – the very moment Desprez depicted here. He lit up the structure, reflected in the River Tiber, with coloured printing ink.
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