18th CENTURY ROMAN PAINTER
Architectural Capriccio with Roman ruins
oil on canvas, cm 62×73,5
This small canvas is a delightful Roman capriccio in which we can recognise the Pyramid of Cestius in the foreground on the right, while in the background is a round temple that can be identified as that of Hercules Victor, which is not far from the Bocca della VeritaÌ (Mouth of Truth) in Rome.
In the foreground, we can see capitals and column shafts, ancient altars, reliefs and gigantic fragments of cornices with figures lying around on them and having animated discussions.
The golden light that strikes the architecture, the quality of the depiction of the ruins and architecture, as well as the frieze running along the cornice of the ruins on the left, are characteristics that link it to the highest tradition of this genre painting in Rome. These details suggest a possible attribution to the most famous landscape artist of the time, Andrea Locatelli, a real specialist who worked for some of the most important Roman families. The painter enjoyed extraordinary success not only in Rome but across Europe, thanks to his vast production and his workshop that catered for the demands of the market and collectors, establishing a real school of this type of painting.