Die große Pest zu Neapel im Jahre 1656 

Giacomo Farelli rendered this drawing, "The Great Plague of Naples in 1656," using brown ink and wash. Observe how the composition is divided into two distinct registers, each telling a different part of the story. The lower portion of the drawing focuses on the earthly realm, filled with scenes of suffering and death as bodies are strewn across the landscape. This segment uses stark horizontal lines to emphasize the finality and stagnation of death, creating a somber and heavy atmosphere. In contrast, the upper register depicts a celestial scene with figures floating among clouds. Here, Farelli employs softer, curvilinear lines to suggest movement and ethereality. The contrast is stark: the rigid, unyielding lines of death below versus the fluid, dynamic forms of the heavens above. This juxtaposition isn't merely decorative; it's a structural device that visually separates the earthly plight from divine intervention. The composition invites us to consider the relationship between human suffering and higher powers.