Ever wondered what an 18th-century theatrical blockbuster looked like before it was painted?
This dramatic drawing is a rare collaboration between two incredible Italian masters. Alessandro Mauro, a famous Venetian theater and festival designer, teamed up with Francesco de Mura. De Mura was a true Neapolitan painting prodigy who was already frescoing churches in his teens and later became the absolute favorite artist of the Bourbon King of Naples.
Together, they created this magnificent vision celebrating imperial power, featuring figures that represent Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. It was meticulously designed as a preparatory study for the sweeping, architectural ceiling frescoe...