Ontwerp voor een plafondschildering met Venus, Minerva en Juno 1702 - 1776

Vittorio Maria Bigari designed this ceiling painting using pen and grey ink with grey wash. The composition features Venus, Minerva, and Juno amongst billowing clouds and floating cherubs. Bigari masterfully uses line and wash to create depth and movement. The figures are rendered with flowing lines and subtle shading, giving them a sense of weightlessness. Notice how the strategic placement of darker washes defines the contours of the bodies, while lighter areas suggest the soft, diffused light of the heavens. This use of chiaroscuro enhances the dramatic effect, drawing the viewer's eye upward. The grouping of the mythological figures, seemingly suspended in the sky, breaks from more traditional, grounded compositions. This upward orientation aligns with the Baroque interest in dynamic and theatrical presentations. Bigari’s sketch captures a moment of divine action, inviting us to ponder the relationship between form and the illusion of limitless space.