FERDINANDO GALLI BIBIENA born at Bologna, was the son of Giovanni Maria. He studied painting under Carlo Cignani and architecture under Giulio Troili, called Paradosso. On Cignani's recommendation he entered the service of the duke of Parma. His chief work at this period was the villa and garden of Colorno. But he soon established a reputation for scenic designs and worked for the theatre. In 1708 he was called to Barcelona to arrange the decorations in connection with the wedding festivities of the future emperor, Charles VI., and when this prince ascended the imperial throne he went to Vienna, and was there employed on designs of scenery and decorations for festivities at the court and at the opera. On his return to Bologna in 1717 he was elected a member of the Academia Clementina. In 1731 he built the royal theatre of Mantua, burned in 1781. The church of S. Antonio Abate at Parma is attributed to him. He wrote the following works : L'Architettura Civile preparata sulla geometria e ridotta alla Prospettiva (1711); Direzioni a giovani studenti nel Disegno del Architettura Civile (1731 and I 745) ; Direzioni della prospet tiva teorica, correspondenti a quelle dell Architettura