Artwork

The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1765: A Decorated Building with Cockaigne Poles

The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1765: A Decorated Building with Cockaigne Poles is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Giuseppe Vasi. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

It has three tall doors with fancy carvings above them, and two giant poles wrapped in ribbons on either side.

This drawing shows a grand, fake building decorated like a palace. It has three tall doors with fancy carvings above them, and two giant poles wrapped in ribbons on either side. People in old-fashioned clothes stand on a balcony, watching a parade below with horses and riders. The ground floor has more people, some riding, some walking, while the sky above is dotted with fluffy clouds.

The text at the bottom says this was made for a special event in 1765. The building looks temporary, like a stage set for a celebration.

Look up etching to see how artists like this made detailed prints.

Overview

Giuseppe Vasi’s 1765 etching, titled *The Seconda Macchina for the Chinea of 1765: A Decorated Building with Cockaigne Poles*, records a temporary architectural spectacle erected for the annual Chinea ceremony. The print captures a lavish, stage‑like façade that functioned as a backdrop for the procession, illustrating the festive atmosphere of mid‑eighteenth‑century Rome.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on an elaborate, make‑shift building reminiscent of a palace, its façade punctuated by three towering doors crowned with ornamental pediments. Flanking the structure are two massive poles festooned with ribbons, a visual reference to the mythic land of Cockaigne, symbolising abundance and celebration. Figures in contemporary dress populate the balcony and ground level, observing the horse‑drawn parade below, thereby emphasizing the communal spectacle of the Chinea tribute.

Technique & Style

Executed as an etching, Vasi employed fine line work to render architectural detail and the texture of clouds in the sky. The medium allowed for precise delineation of the decorative carvings above the doors and the intricate ribbon‑wrapping of the poles, while the contrast of dark ink against the paper conveys depth and the bustling crowd’s movement.

History & Provenance

Created specifically for the 1765 Chinea festivities, the print served both as a record of the event and as a promotional image for the celebration. The Chinea, a yearly tribute from the Kingdom of Naples to the Pope, was marked by elaborate pageantry in Rome; Vasi’s work documents one of its most ornate visual interventions. The etching remains in collections of institutions focusing on Roman urban history and 18th‑century printmaking.