Scenography

Scenography relates to the study and practice of performance design.

In what is not the first use of the term, Antonio Caimi in 1862, describes a category of artists practising pittura scenica e l'architettura teatrale, inspired by the artists Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, who was also known as a painter quadratura or architectural painting (usually trompe-l'œil depictions of architecture on ceilings or walls). Caimi also calls this Arte scenografica, and notes that it required ingenious engineering to create movable sets, or create illusions of environments. The Galli da Bibiena family was a pedigree of scenographic artistry that emerged in late seventeenth century Bologna, but spread throughout Northern Italy, to Austria and Germany. Another large family known for theatrical scenography were members of the Quaglio surname.