Ground Plan for a Catafalque for Louis I, King of Spain (reigned only a few months, died 1724) 1719 - 1729

Editor: Here we have Giuseppe Galli Bibiena’s "Ground Plan for a Catafalque for Louis I, King of Spain", a drawing and etching from the early 18th century. Looking at this detailed, geometric plan, I’m struck by how coldly formal it seems for something meant to commemorate a monarch’s passing. What do you make of it? Curator: You know, it is a little like staring at the blueprint of a stage for sorrow, isn’t it? But imagine this not as cold, but considered. It’s Baroque! It is almost mathematical grief—proportion, light, shadow, all meticulously planned to elicit the appropriate emotional response. Look how the design implies volume and height; it’s theatrical. What do you suppose all the etching and drawing details accomplish in terms of affect? Editor: I suppose the precision and detail make it feel even more grandiose and imposing, highlighting the power of the monarchy even in death? Curator: Precisely! It speaks volumes about how power was constructed and presented in that era. Think about it – architecture intended as fleeting memorial. Someone envisioned emotion in stone, or at least on paper as preparation for stone. Editor: So it’s not just a building, it’s a performance of mourning. Curator: Absolutely! These ephemeral structures were center stage for dynastic theater. Makes you wonder about our modern memorials, doesn’t it? Will future generations see them as geometric grief too? Editor: I never thought about Baroque art having such a structured, performative element. It’s like they're choreographing feelings. Curator: Exactly! And now you see the blueprint behind the curtain. It’s not just about artistry but about engineering emotions, a stage direction for grief, laid out with etching and architectural precision.