Alla studiosa Gioventù del Disegno. i Concorsi Clementini di architettura (1702–1869) (To the studious Youth of Drawing. The Clementine Architecture Competitions (1702–1869)

The exhibition Alla studiosa Gioventù del Disegno. i Concorsi Clementini di architettura (1702–1869) (To the Studious Youth of Drawing. The Clementine Architectural Competitions (1702–1869)) at the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, curated by Laura Bertolaccini, Francesco Cellini, Tommaso Manfredi, and Angelo Torricelli, illustrates, for the first time in the variety of its formal progression, the long history of architectural drawing, both of a high-level and, above all, of a project.

The exhibition brings together over 140 drawings created for the Concorso de’ Premij, later known as the Clementino in honor of Pope Clement XI (pope from 1700 to 1721) who established it in 1702. The competition, dedicated to the young aspiring architects from various European backgrounds – the so-called studious Youth of Drawing – ran, with alternating fortunes, until 1869.

The drawings reflect the academic perception of the state of Italian and European architectural culture, with its contradictions and conformisms, but also with the lively pursuit of new approaches, fueled by the growing circulation of ideas. Overall, however, the central role of drawing as a design tool and as a privileged means of transmitting architectural thought, constantly evolving alongside graphic techniques and tools, clearly emerges.

Particular attention is also paid to drawing techniques: a display case also features a selection of graphic tools, including those belonging to Giuseppe Piermarini (1734-1808), objects that were an indispensable professional tool for the architect and which contributed to influencing the methods and practices of design representation.

The exhibition, spread across three rooms on the ground floor of Palazzo Carpegna and two on the piano nobile, traces the historical development of the competition, which was initially held annually (1702–1711), then irregularly throughout the eighteenth century, until the reforms introduced by the Popes Benedict XIV (Pope from 1740 to 1758) and Pius VI (Pope from 1775 to 1799). After further interruptions, the celebrations resumed in the nineteenth century, until the last five editions between 1844 and 1869, when the competition gradually declined.

The exhibition also explores the exam procedures: initially divided into three classes, they included exercises of increasing difficulty, from drawing architectural orders to designing complex buildings. After submitting their papers, candidates underwent a test to assess their competence and authenticity.

Particular emphasis is placed on the public awards ceremony, which until the mid-19th century was held in the Capitoline Hill, amid spectacular displays. The ceremonies, enriched by musical performances and solemn orations, were attended by cardinals, aristocrats, intellectuals, and artists, confirming the Academy's central role in European cultural life.

The exhibition therefore represents a rare opportunity to rediscover a graphic heritage of extraordinary quality and to reflect on the value of drawing as the foundation of European architectural culture.

Finally, we recall that the Accademia Nazionale di San Luca preserves 976 drawings by the winners of the Clementini Architecture Competitions. For the exhibition, the Academy has also created a website, www.concorsiclementiniarchitettura.org, which offers digital reproductions of all the drawings from the Clementini Architecture Competitions, organized by edition and accompanied by historical and biographical notes on the protagonists of this long-running series.

The exhibition is accompanied by a small volume that delves into the history, protagonists, and editions of the Clementino Competition and contains texts and research by Laura Bertolaccini, Francesco Cellini, Tommaso Manfredi, Angelo Torricelli, with the collaboration of Alessio Ciannarella and Alberto Coppo.

Photo: Claude-François Demesmay, Relief of the Pantheon, plan, elevation, and section, Clementine Competition 1754, 3rd class, first prize, graphite and ink on paper