Who painted Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti?

Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti was painted by Giovanni Francesco Costa in 1768.

Where can I see Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti?

Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti?

Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti

Giovanni Francesco Costa , 1768

Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Giovanni Francesco Costa. It dates from 1768 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Giovanni Francesco Costa’s 1768 etching, titled *Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti*, presents a tranquil architectural landscape rendered in monochrome.

Giovanni Francesco Costa’s 1768 etching, titled *Fastose Aguglie e Mausolei vetusti*, presents a tranquil architectural landscape rendered in monochrome. Two slender, pointed towers flank a modest arched structure that houses a seated statue, while a solitary figure rests on a rock in the foreground, gazing downward. The composition is set against a sky rendered with loose, gestural lines and framed by a few leaning trees on the right.

Subject & Meaning

The work’s title, translating to “Grand Spires and Ancient Mausoleums,” suggests a focus on historic ruins and monumental architecture. The juxtaposition of towering spires with a modest mausoleum‑like building, alongside a contemplative figure, evokes a reflective mood toward the passage of time and the remnants of past grandeur.

Technique & Style

Executed through the etching process, Costa incised the image onto a metal plate, allowing acid to bite the lines that form the print. The resulting texture is notably scratchy and varied, employing cross‑hatching and stippling to model light and shadow, especially in the sky and the stone surfaces.

History & Provenance

Created in 1768, the print is an early example of Costa’s printmaking output during the late Baroque period in Italy. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has been catalogued among his known etchings and appears in several 19th‑century collections of Italian prints.

Context

The composition reflects the 18th‑century European fascination with antiquity and the picturesque ruin, a theme common among artists who traveled through Italy’s historic sites. Costa’s depiction aligns with contemporary tastes for romanticized landscapes that blend architectural detail with natural elements.