Saturday, April 23, 2016

Gian Paolo Panini and Roman architecture, 18th century

Gian Paolo Panini
Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti
ca. 1755-58
drawing
Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Panini were one among several families with reputations for depicting architectural marvels in and around Rome during the first great surge of international tourism in the 18th century. Their work was lucid and generous, like Mozart's operas.

The Spanish Steps (as seen above) had been constructed only about thirty years before this drawing was made. They linked the Piazza di Spagna below with the French church of Trinità dei Monti, formerly stranded on its precipice above. 

Gian Paolo Panini
Villa Albani, Rome
18th century
drawing
Morgan Library, New York

Francesco Panini
Farnese Gallery, Rome
ca. 1775
drawing
Getty Museum, Los Angeles

Gian Paolo Panini
Capriccio with Pyramid
18th century
wash drawing
Morgan Library, New York

Gian Paolo Panini
Classical Ruins
18th century
wash drawing
British Museum

Gian Paolo Panini
Figures beneath a Ruinous Arch
18th century
wash drawing
British Museum

Gian Paolo Panini
Arcade with Sarcophagus
18th century
watercolor
Morgan Library, New York

Gian Paolo Panini
Capriccio Ruinous Arches
18th century
watercolor
Morgan Library, New York

Gian Paolo Panini
Ruined Colonnade
18th century
watercolor
British Museum

Gian Paolo Panini
Capriccio with Pantheon
1735
oil on canvas
Royal Collection, Great Britain

Gian Paolo Panini
Classical Ruins with Woman Preaching
ca. 1735
oiil on canvas
Prado

Gian Paolo Panini
Interior of St. Peter's, Rome
1735
oil on canvas
Metropolitan Museum of Art