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Rome: The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
Canaletto·1740
Historical Context
Rome: The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, painted around 1740 and now in the Royal Collection, depicts the remarkably well-preserved second-century temple in the Roman Forum — converted into the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda in the seventh century. Canaletto captures the dramatic contrast between the ancient colonnade and the Baroque church facade inserted behind it, a juxtaposition characteristic of Rome's layered architectural history. The painting belongs to the series of Roman views created for Joseph Smith, Canaletto's primary patron and agent. These Roman subjects demonstrate Canaletto's archaeological eye, recording the monuments with a precision that makes them valuable historical documents alongside their artistic achievement.
Technical Analysis
Canaletto renders the temple's massive Corinthian columns with characteristic precision, contrasting the ancient Roman stonework with the later Baroque church facade built into its cella.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the dramatic contrast between the massive ancient Corinthian columns of the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the later Baroque church facade built into its cella.
- ◆Look at how Canaletto renders the second-century temple converted into the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda, capturing centuries of architectural adaptation in a single view.
- ◆Observe the precision with which each column, capital, and entablature is recorded, making this painting a valuable document of the temple's condition in the 1740s.
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