Roman Ruins with Figures

Panini, Giovanni Paolo (school of) 1691 - 1765

Summary

Groups of figures in Roman dress are conversing under some ruined classical arches, which are all that remain of a once noble building. The masonry is in an advanced state of decay, the ground littered with fallen stone. The Corinthian columns are so eroded and chipped that they appear in a dangerous state and the figures have an air of vulnerability under the massive, broken arch. The overall effect is one of picturesque deterioration. Panini was born in Piacenza, where he trained under the illusionistic ceiling painters Giuseppe Natali and Andrea Galluzzi, and under the stage designer Francesco Galli-Bibiena, from whom he learned the speciality of painting illusionistic architecture. He moved to Rome in 1711, where he studied under Benedetto Luti and found inspiration in the classical landscapes of Claude Lorrain and his circle, and in vedute. Panini evolved the ruin capriccio (idealised views of real and imagined ruins) and painted other celebrated monuments and interiors in Rome, exploiting the market for such scenes among visitors to the city. Manchester's painting is a typical example of the output of his large and thriving workshop.