Capriccio with St. Paul's and Old London Bridge

Antonio Joli's capriccio combining St. Paul's Cathedral with Old London Bridge creates an imaginary view juxtaposing London's architectural landmarks in a way that never existed in reality. Joli, a Modena-born painter who specialized in architectural views, worked in London during the 1740s, painting theatrical scenery and vedute for English patrons. His capriccios satisfied the 18th-century taste for idealized urban landscapes combining real monuments in fantastical arrangements.

Joli's oil-on-canvas technique demonstrates his training as a theatrical scene painter, with architectural elements rendered in careful perspective and bathed in warm, atmospheric light. The crisp delineation of buildings contrasts with the looser treatment of sky, water, and staffage figures.