The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1756: A Triumphal Arch between Mount Etna and Mount Vesuvius

Giuseppe Pozzi, after Paolo Posi

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a triumphal arch set against a volcanic landscape. The scene depicts an elaborate archway adorned with classical sculptures and intricate details, situated between two volcanic mountains with smoke rising from their peaks. The architectural structure includes figures on horseback at the top, flanked by scrollwork and decorative embellishments. Small human figures and animals are depicted beneath the archway and in the surrounding open space. The sky is filled with swirling clouds, lending a dramatic backdrop to the composition.