Gallery of Views of Modern Rome (Roma Moderna)
Painting on canvas • Giovanni Paolo Panini (1691–1765)
Style & Movement
Baroque/Rococo; specifically Italian Vedutismo (View Painting) of the 18th Century.
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; employing vedute (topographical view) technique, linear perspective, and meticulous architectural rendering.
Creation Period
1759 (This is the second of two versions painted for the Count de Stainville).
Dimensions & Format
Large scale landscape format; approximately 172 x 233 cm (67.7 x 91.7 inches).
Subject Description
An idealized, grand architectural gallery filled with paintings of 18th-century Rome's famous monuments and buildings. The composition includes the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and St. Peter's Square. Figures in the foreground, including the Count de Stainville (later Duke of Choiseul), are seen admiring the 'collection' among sculptures such as Michelangelo's Moses and a Medici lion.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; well-preserved with vibrant pigments and intact canvas structural integrity. Minor surface craquelure consistent with age.
Estimated Market Value
$15,000,000 - $25,000,000 USD (Based on high-tier museum-quality Old Masters sales).
Auction Estimate
$12,000,000 - $20,000,000 USD
Provenance History
Commissioned by Etienne-Francois, Count de Stainville (later Duke of Choiseul); historically part of significant private French and later American collections; currently held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Art Historical Significance
A masterpiece of the 'capriccio' and 'veduta' genres, serving as a visual encyclopedia of Rome's architectural heritage. It represents the height of the Grand Tour era and Panini's technical mastery of perspective and light.
Notable Features
Includes a painting-within-a-painting of the artist himself. Features a gilded 18th-century style frame with acanthus leaf and egg-and-dart motifs. Signature and date typically located on architectural elements or lower foreground.
Condition Issues
Stable aged varnish; slight yellowing typical of historic resins. Fine stable craquelure throughout. Evidence of minor historic relining for reinforcement.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain stable humidity (45-55%) and temperature. Use low-UV lighting. Periodic assessment of varnish for potential cleaning to remove accumulated surface dirt and yellowing.