Interno Del Duomo Nuovo 1897

Giuseppe Barberis made this engraving, "Interno Del Duomo Nuovo," at an unknown date. The medium of engraving, with its precise lines etched into a metal plate, is critical here. Look closely, and you'll see how Barberis uses the density and direction of these lines to create light, shadow, and a sense of depth. Engraving was a highly skilled, labor-intensive process, often used for reproducing architectural designs and other images for a wide audience. This print would have made the Duomo accessible to those who might never visit it in person. The sharp, clean lines of the engraving emphasize the Duomo's Neoclassical grandeur, its ordered columns and soaring dome. Consider the contrast between the immense scale of the building and the small figures within it, rendered with the same meticulous detail as the architecture. Through the material and process of engraving, Barberis not only depicts the Duomo, but also reflects the social and cultural values of his time, celebrating both human achievement and the power of mass communication.