Church of Santa Maria della Febbre, Rome
Historical Context
Saenredam painted this view of the Church of Santa Maria della Febbre in Rome in 1629, one of his rare Italian subjects. This Roman church, which was demolished in 1776, is known primarily through Saenredam's painting and related drawings. His depiction, based on drawings made during his visit to Rome or from other sources, applies his characteristic Dutch precision to an Italian subject, creating an invaluable record of a lost building.
Technical Analysis
Saenredam applies his characteristic architectural precision to the Roman church interior, rendering the classical forms with the same mathematical accuracy he brought to Dutch Gothic churches. The warm tonality and the smooth, precise paint handling create a sense of architectural clarity that transforms the building into an idealized geometric composition.
Provenance
Friedrich, king of Prussia.[1] (sale, Frederik Muller and Co., Amsterdam, 25 November 1924, no. 60); Anton W.M. Mensing [1866-1936], Amsterdam;[2] (his estate sale, Frederik Muller and Co., Amsterdam, 15 November 1938, no. 96); (D.A. Hoogendijk, Amsterdam); J.A.G. Sandberg, Wassenaar, in 1950; private collection, The Netherlands; (D.A. Hoogendijk, Amsterdam), by 1953; (Frederick A. Stern, Inc., New York); sold 1954 to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York;[3] gift 1961 to NGA. [1] This information is in the 1924 sale catalogue; it has not yet been determined which of the Prussian kings by this name owned the painting. There are two seals on the reverse of the panel, but neither has a legible imprint. [2] An annotated copy of the 1924 sale catalogue cites Huber as the buyer. If this is true, he may well have been acting as an agent for Mensing. [3] See The Kress Collection Digital Archive, https://kress.nga.gov/Detail/objects/530.
