Modern Rome

Giovanni Paolo Panini Italian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 627

Modern Rome is a pendant to Ancient Rome (on view nearby) and catalogs some of the city’s most famous monuments from the two centuries prior to the execution of these paintings. Guidebooks and writings on art typically contrasted modern and ancient works to better draw out their strengths and weaknesses. Akin to luxurious postcards, they condense an itinerary of must-see sights. They were commissioned by the comte de Stainville, later duc de Choiseul, ambassador to Rome from 1753 to 1757; he is shown seated in an armchair. Among the works illustrated are Michelangelo’s Moses and statues by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. For more about this painting, including the identification of additional monuments, visit its collection record at The Met website.

Modern Rome, Giovanni Paolo Panini (Italian, Piacenza 1691–1765 Rome), Oil on canvas

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