Chiasso Exhibition Explores 18th-19th Century Printmaking and the Classical Dream

At the m.a.x. museo in Chiasso, nearly two hundred prints including etchings, engravings, drypoints, watercolored prints, lithographs, and chromolithographs are on display. The exhibition aims to present print production between the 18th and 19th centuries, tracing the reinterpretation of classical antiquity. The collection immerses viewers in the 'dream' of the 'Antique' as expressed by Winckelmann, Piranesi, and Rossini. Winckelmann, considered the father of modern art history, published 'Monumenti antichi inediti' in 1767, featuring anonymous engravings of monument reliefs that enabled systematic study. Piranesi, Venetian but based in Rome, found inspiration for his visionary interpretations but also engaged in a polemic with Winckelmann's philhellenism, arguing for the superiority of Roman architecture. The exhibition includes large folio prints that documented Grand Tour travels. Piranesi depicted Latin inscriptions, sometimes faithfully, sometimes reinterpreted. Luigi Rossini's images opened to panoramas aiding identification of monuments in contemporary guides, often with invented elements for picturesque effect. The final room displays views of Lake Como, Lake Garda, Lake Lugano, Venice, and Florence, catering to the emerging bourgeoisie. Notable is Nicolas Chapuy's semicircular panorama of Geneva, using aquatint and chromolithography for vibrant colors and large print runs.