Architect's Sketchbook and Sourcebook. 1700

Ferdinando Galli Bibiena made this sketchbook and sourcebook using pen and brown ink sometime between 1690 and 1740. This drawing shows the kind of ornamental design favored by the courts of Europe. Bibiena was the scion of a dynasty of stage designers and architects, famous throughout Europe for their theatrical designs. The distinctive ornamental style on display here would have appealed to wealthy patrons looking to signal their own power and prestige through extravagant display. The dominance of the Bibiena family reflects the enduring power of patronage at the time. Artistic institutions such as academies still held sway, but artists could bypass these institutions by appealing directly to wealthy patrons. The sketchbook provides insight into the mechanics of the patronage system. By studying drawings and prints like this, we can better understand the social conditions that shaped artistic production.