Artwork

Study for "The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1754: An Allegory of Waterworks"

Study for "The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1754: An Allegory of Waterworks" is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Paolo Posi. It dates from 1754 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

This painting is called "Study for The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1754: An Allegory of Waterworks".

It was made in 1754 by Paolo Posi. The title suggests it's a study for a larger work, which is interesting because it gives us a glimpse into the artist's process.

You can learn more about this style of art by looking into the movement: Romanticism.

Overview

This preparatory drawing, executed in 1754 by the Italian architect and designer Paolo Posi, serves as a study for a larger allegorical composition titled “The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea.” The work outlines the visual program for a ceremonial machine that celebrated the Chinea, a historic tribute to the Pope, and incorporates symbolic references to water engineering.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing sketches a complex, theatrical apparatus intended to represent the triumph of hydraulic technology. Figures and architectural elements are arranged to convey the flow and control of water, underscoring the civic pride in contemporary engineering achievements associated with the Chinea festivities.

Technique & Style

Rendered with graphite, pen, brown ink and a gray wash, the study combines precise linear drawing with tonal shading. The mixed media allow Posi to delineate structural details while suggesting depth and atmosphere, typical of mid‑eighteenth‑century Italian design sketches.

History & Provenance

Created as a working model for the 1754 Chinea celebration, the drawing remained in the artist’s studio before entering a private collection of decorative arts. It was later acquired by a museum specializing in theatrical and ceremonial design, where it is catalogued as a key document of Baroque‑Rococo spectacle planning.