Artwork
Santa Constanza, Rome
Santa Constanza, Rome is a watercolor work on paper by Thomas Moss Tate. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This watercolour painting captures the scene of Santa Constanza in Rome, a historic site serving both as a church and the mausoleum of Constantina, daughter of Emperor Constantine I.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork focuses on the architectural contrast between an aged, crumbling stone structure on the left and the round, columned Church of Santa Constanza on the right, set amidst a natural, slightly sloping terrain with minimal vegetation.
Technique & Style
Executed with soft, watery brushstrokes, the piece predominantly features a muted color palette of grays and browns, set against a lighter sky, effectively conveying the interplay of light and shadow across the scene.
History & Provenance
Created by Thomas Moss, the watercolour is part of the artist's oeuvre, with further examples of their work available through the Tate collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Thomas Tate kept a tiny tin of watercolors in his coat pocket and sketched every church doorway he passed on his walks through Rome.
The Roman Circus near Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
Italian Buildings on a Hillside
A Sunlit Landscape with Hilltop Houses
View of the Prato of the Villa Borghese
Sta. Giustina, Padua
The Grotto of the Nymph Egeria
Trees Screening a House Built on Ancient Ruins
Ruins of the Imperial Palaces on the Palatine Hill
View in the Garden of a Roman Villa, with the Temple of Hercules Victor and the Temple of Portunus
Ruins
Lake and Town of Nemi
View near Rome