Half Elevation and Half Ground Plan for a Catafalque: Columns Supporting a Stepped Dome with 2 Obelisks Surmounted by Figure of Fame 1696 - 1756

Giuseppe Galli Bibiena made this drawing, Half Elevation and Half Ground Plan for a Catafalque, with pen and black ink, and gray wash, over black chalk. Catafalques were elaborate structures, sometimes temporary, erected to honor the dead during funeral rites, especially for royalty or high-ranking nobles. Bibiena, working in the 18th century, presents us with a design that’s both functional and symbolic, reflecting the era’s fascination with grandeur and the performance of power. The stepped dome, obelisks, and figures of Fame aren't just decorative, they’re visual statements about authority, legacy, and the social hierarchy of the time. It’s interesting to consider how this drawing may reflect the Baroque culture of display and the power of the monarchy. Was this meant to reinforce social order? To understand this work more fully, one might consider the historical context of courtly rituals, the role of art in legitimizing power, and the architectural conventions of the period. Doing so helps us interpret the drawing not merely as a design, but as a cultural artifact that embodied the values and aspirations of its time.