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La Scena per Angolo—Magic by the Bibienas?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2010

Kalman A. Burnim
Kalman A. Burnim
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor of Drama, Tufts University.
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Extract

Perhaps no family in the history of any art form has so completely dominated and influenced the artistic production of its century as did the Galli-Bibiena family from Bologna. Certainly in the sphere of theatrical scene design and decoration it was the family genius of the Italian Bibienas, working almost as a composite entity, that founded and maintained the Baroque Period of scene design as the age of supreme illusion.

Type
Research Article
Information
Theatre Survey , Volume 2 , May 1961 , pp. 67 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Theatre Research 1961

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References

NOTES

1. Ricci, Corrado, “The Art of Scenography,” The Art Bulletin, X (March 1928), 241.Google Scholar Ferdinando's father, Giovanni Maria Galli (1625–1665), was an uninspired artist who spent most of his time painting fountains in the studio of Francesco Albani at Bologna. When an apprentice of identical name arrived at the studio, Giovanni Maria added a place designation–Bibiena–to his family name to avoid confusion. Henceforth the family was known as the Galli-Bibiena family.

2. The lives of the family members are far from being fully documented. The most helpful sources are: Ilg, Albert, Die Fischer von Erlach (Vienna, 1895)Google Scholar; Hyatt Mayor, A., The Bibiena Family (New York, 1945)Google Scholar; Mariani, Valerio, “I Bibiena,” Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo (Rome, 1954), II, 472–480Google Scholar; Poliak, Oscar, “Bibiena,” Allgemeines Lexicon der bildenden Künstler, Thieme-Becker, eds. (1909), III, 600–604Google Scholar; and Zannotti, Giampetro, Storia dell' Accademia Clementine di Bologna (Bologna, 1739), Volume II.Google Scholar

3. The Letters and Works of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, ed. Lord Wharncliffe (London, 1861), I, 237.

4. Galli-Bibiena, Ferdinando, L'Architettura Civile preparata sulla geometria e ridotta alle prospettive, considerazione pratiche (Parma, 1711).Google Scholar

5. L'Architettura Civile, p. 136.

6. Mayor, p. 26. For a detailed discussion of the mathematical principles of the perspective practiced by Troili, Pozzo, and Ferdinando see Schöne, Günter, Die Entwicklung der Perspektivbühne von Serlio bis Galli-Bibiena (Leipzig, 1933).Google Scholar

7. Lotti, Lotto, L'Idea di Tutte de Perfezioni, music by Tosi, Giuseppe (Parma, 1690)Google Scholar, printed with engravings of three settings by Ferdinando.

8. Lotti, Lotto, L'Età dell' Oro, music by Tosi, Giuseppe (Piacenza, 1690)Google Scholar, printed with engravings of four settings by Ferdinando.

9. This was suggested by Horowicz, Bronislaw, Le Théâtre d'Opéra (Paris, 1946), p. 98.Google Scholar

10. Der moderne Theaterbau (Berlin, 1906), p. 145.

11. Laver, James, Drama, Its Costume and Décor (London, 1951), p. 147.Google Scholar

12. Sacerdote, Gustave, Il Teatro Regio di Torino, p. 41Google Scholar, and Angelis, Albert de, “Ferdinando Bibiena,” Rivista Italiana del Teatro, VI (1942), 148–158.Google Scholar

13. Barocktheater und barocke Kunst (Berlin, 1939), p. 76.

14. An Essay on the Opera (Glasgow, 1768), p. 78.

15. Arteaga, Stefano, Le Rivoluzioni del Teatro Musicale Italiano (Venice, 1785), II, 76–77.Google Scholar

16. This engraving, which bears the inscription (cropped from my reproduction), “Scene della Festa Teatrale in occasione degle Sponsali del Principe Elettorale di Baveria,” has always been assigned to the wedding celebration at Munich. None of the contemporary accounts of the Munich celebration, however, mention Giuseppe. The royal couple actually had been married in Vienna and then journeyed to Munich; and a festa teatrale had also been held at the Vienna Imperial Court. The opera was Le nozze di Aurora, and the designer is listed as Giuseppe Bibiena. See the listing of the opera by Hadamowsky, Franz, Barocktheater am Wiener Kaiserhof (Vienna, 1952), p. 105.Google Scholar

17. Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena (Berkeley, 1954), new series, Vol. I, Monumenta Scenica.

18. Giuseppe Galli-Bibiena, p. iv.

19. This engraving along with three others which bear the inscription, “Scena della Festa Teatrale in occasione delli Sponsali di Principe Reali di Polonia ed Elettorale di Sassonia” (cropped from my reproduction), have always been associated with a Dresden production. Although the marriage was celebrated in Dresden with a festa teatrale none of the accounts names Giuseppe as being connected with it, although less prominent scenographers are listed. Actually these designs were created by Giuseppe for a simultaneous celebration in Vienna. The opera was Sirita, produced at the Court on August 21, 1719. See listing in Hadamowsky, p. 103.

20. From Art to Theatre (Chicago, 1944), p. 177.

21. Beijer, Agne, Court Theatres of Drottningholm and Gripsholm (Malmö, 1933), p. 9 and plate XX.Google Scholar

22. “The Art of Scenography,” p. 242.

23. Lettres Familières escrites d'Italie à quelques amis en 1739 et 1740 (Paris, 1858), II, 257–258.

24. Vol. II, tav. LXXXVII.