Prospetto della prima macchina de Fuochi d'Artificio, rappresentante l'incendio di Troia...

Etching and engraving, 1730, signed on the plate lower right Gasparo Massi incise in Roma con licenza de Super.

From a drawing by Bartolomeo Poli, for the ephemeral apparatus of the fire engine erected for the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, held on September 8, 1730. The apparatus, which was erected under the orders of the architect Michelangelo Specchi on behalf of Prince Fabrizio Colonna, was created for an extraordinary celebration promulgated by Pope Clement XII, and depicted the burning of the city of Troy.

The panel belongs to the representations of fire machines for the Chinea fest. Chinea literally means white female mule, the one the Kings of Spain offered every year to the Pope as a solemn payment of the income of the Kingdome of Naples. The horse, duly trained, knelt in front of the Pope and to offer him a silver vase with money inside, that was fastened to its saddle. The offer was preceded by a solemn ride of two and a half hours, a long and precise itinerary. To make it even more solemn, as per Charles II decree of the 12 of May 1691, the Greats of Spain were obliged to take part to the cortege, which was then followed by two series of pyrotechnical shots and music, dances and food. The chinea, due to its reiteration, was not only the most important summer party, but was even the best way for the Spanish monarchy to present itself in Rome, the best promotional campaign to gain universal consent and political support from the other monarchies. The celebration was massive, notwithstanding the political problems and the late remittance to pay it. When the celebration was organized, and even after that, Palazzo Colonna and Palazzo Farnese became for two months the workshops for inventors, painters, drawers, architects and even pyrotechnists, musicians, suppliers and cooks. These Palazzi became also, for two days, the extraordinary embassy, the starting point of the solemn ride and in front of which the “fabulous” pyrotechnical machines shot their fireworks, where all the light were lightened on the eve and the very day of the celebration of St. Peter and St. Paul. The tradition of building the fireworks machines in the square of Santissimi Apostoli, on the 28 and the 29 of June, was started in the XVIII century (just sometimes in piazza Farnese); all we know about this habit derives from the detailed engravings and the texts that have been printed yearly, starting from 1723.

Gaspare Massi was born around 1698 in Rome, where he worked as a burin and etching engraver between the second and third decades of the 18th century. Throughout his career, Massi also dedicated himself to depicting ceremonies and performances organized for particular religious occasions, carefully depicting the grandiose ephemeral displays erected for such celebrations. His images reconstruct the sumptuous machines designed by Alessandro Specchi for Prince Fabrizio Colonna for the presentation of the chinea celebrated annually on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. An engraving from 1725 depicts the second machine with the Temple of Peace and Concord, while another, dating back to 1727, shows the first machine with the Temple of Glory. Massi also created one of the images from the 1730 ceremony, exceptionally organized on September 8th and 9th, featuring the Trojan Horse, designed by Bartolomeo Poli and created by Michelangelo Specchi for the first machine. Also from the same year is the engraving of the Triumphal Arch erected by Antonio Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza, to celebrate the possession of Clement XII.

A magnificent impression, printed on contemporary laid paper, with margins, in excellent condition. A very rare work.

Bibliografia

Laura Di Calisto, Massi Gasparo, in  “Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani” - Volume 71 (2008).