Capriccio _verified_ -

In painting, a capriccio is an . Artists in this genre take liberties with history and geography, juxtaposing famous ruins, buildings, and monuments from different locations into a single, imaginary scene. Engaging the European Public with Florentine Heritage

The word likely has a dual etymological heritage. One popular theory traces it to the Italian capra (goat), evoking the unpredictable, leaping movements of the animal. Another points to capo-riccio ("head-curl"), suggesting the way hair might stand on end during a moment of sudden horror or inspiration. In either case, the core essence of a capriccio is its and spontaneity . Capriccio in the Visual Arts: Architectural Fantasies capriccio