Heir of a successful family of master builders active in Romagna (Italy) – more precisely in Faenza and its surroundings – Giuseppe Boschi (1732-1802) represented one of the most emblematic supporters of that classical culture, which spread out in the Papal States during the second half of the Eighteenth century. In fact, although his artistic production has been really small, his theoretical research left to us a series of treaties and collections of drawings of extraordinary value: a set of reflections about various subjects that clear up not only Fine Art’s teaching outside of Rome but, also, the needs of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie of the time. Eighteenth-century architectural developments were complex, with divergent elements and themes. One strain of the Late Baroque became the ultra-decorative Rococo style, so extreme in its playful ornamentalism that by mid-century it encouraged – in countering response – the return to a more proper classicism. As already Leon Battista Alberti (14040-1472) claimed, the so called “Carloncino” wished to be a classical theorist, who saw art and architecture as a way to address societal order. The designer – in Boschi’s mind – was to be universalist, an intellectual, a man of genius, and a consort of those in position of power and authority. Central to this re-conception of architecture was the return to the classical language, which had a vocabulary of elements based on the orders, and a set of rules, or a syntax, establishing their proper arrangement and mutual relationships. In this respect, although this painter and architect was concerned with the theoretical and esthetic implications of proportional systems, he was equally attentive to the practical aspects of architecture, as well as his treaties testify. However, the force of Enlightenment rationalism and accompanying scientific thinking provoked – in turn – another response: an anti-rational and emotional reaction, which emerges in Boschi’s preference for organic shapes and Rococo’s recurring decorative motifs.

Erede di una fortunata dinastia di capomastri attivi a Faenza e nel suo circondario, il pittore e architetto Giuseppe Boschi (1732-1802) fu probabilmente uno fra i teorici più prolifici presenti in Romagna durante il secondo Settecento. Lo testimoniano tanto le sue raccolte di disegni quanto i suoi discorsi letterari: un impegno che ha lasciato ai posteri un insieme di manoscritti di straordinario valore, in grado sia di chiarire le modalità d’insegnamento messe in campo nei contesti più periferici dello Stato Pontificio, sia di puntualizzare le istanze di auto-rappresentazione allora perseguite dalla committenza locale.

Giuseppe Boschi «sulla scorta degli autori più celebri che hanno scritto sopra l’architettura» / Benincampi, Iacopo. - (2020), pp. 31-59.

Giuseppe Boschi «sulla scorta degli autori più celebri che hanno scritto sopra l’architettura»

Iacopo Benincampi
2020

Abstract

Heir of a successful family of master builders active in Romagna (Italy) – more precisely in Faenza and its surroundings – Giuseppe Boschi (1732-1802) represented one of the most emblematic supporters of that classical culture, which spread out in the Papal States during the second half of the Eighteenth century. In fact, although his artistic production has been really small, his theoretical research left to us a series of treaties and collections of drawings of extraordinary value: a set of reflections about various subjects that clear up not only Fine Art’s teaching outside of Rome but, also, the needs of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie of the time. Eighteenth-century architectural developments were complex, with divergent elements and themes. One strain of the Late Baroque became the ultra-decorative Rococo style, so extreme in its playful ornamentalism that by mid-century it encouraged – in countering response – the return to a more proper classicism. As already Leon Battista Alberti (14040-1472) claimed, the so called “Carloncino” wished to be a classical theorist, who saw art and architecture as a way to address societal order. The designer – in Boschi’s mind – was to be universalist, an intellectual, a man of genius, and a consort of those in position of power and authority. Central to this re-conception of architecture was the return to the classical language, which had a vocabulary of elements based on the orders, and a set of rules, or a syntax, establishing their proper arrangement and mutual relationships. In this respect, although this painter and architect was concerned with the theoretical and esthetic implications of proportional systems, he was equally attentive to the practical aspects of architecture, as well as his treaties testify. However, the force of Enlightenment rationalism and accompanying scientific thinking provoked – in turn – another response: an anti-rational and emotional reaction, which emerges in Boschi’s preference for organic shapes and Rococo’s recurring decorative motifs.
2020
Giuseppe Boschi, «pittore ed architetto faentino»
978-88-31347-23-5
Erede di una fortunata dinastia di capomastri attivi a Faenza e nel suo circondario, il pittore e architetto Giuseppe Boschi (1732-1802) fu probabilmente uno fra i teorici più prolifici presenti in Romagna durante il secondo Settecento. Lo testimoniano tanto le sue raccolte di disegni quanto i suoi discorsi letterari: un impegno che ha lasciato ai posteri un insieme di manoscritti di straordinario valore, in grado sia di chiarire le modalità d’insegnamento messe in campo nei contesti più periferici dello Stato Pontificio, sia di puntualizzare le istanze di auto-rappresentazione allora perseguite dalla committenza locale.
Giuseppe Boschi; Settecento; Romagna; Faenza; architettura; tardobarocco;
02 Pubblicazione su volume::02a Capitolo o Articolo
Giuseppe Boschi «sulla scorta degli autori più celebri che hanno scritto sopra l’architettura» / Benincampi, Iacopo. - (2020), pp. 31-59.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1477089
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