Artwork
Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, with Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Left
Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, with Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Left is an oil painting by Canaletto. It dates from 1737 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, with Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the Left is an oil painting created by Canaletto around 1737. It is a cityscape depicting Rome's Capitoline Square.
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the Capitoline Square, with the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli on the left. Figures in contemporary dress populate the scene, with a horse and carriage in the foreground, conveying a sense of everyday life in 18th-century Rome.
Technique & Style
Canaletto's work blends precise architectural detail with atmospheric effects, using warm colors to evoke a sunny atmosphere. The artist's characteristic attention to the interplay of light and architecture is evident in the depiction of the square.
History & Provenance
The painting is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection. Canaletto, a prominent figure in the Venetian school, was known for his vedute of Italian and English cities.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (Italian: ), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school.
