View of St. Peter’s Square, Rome
Raffet arrived in Rome in the summer of 1849 just ten days after the siege of that city by the French. The artist soon proposed to his publisher an album of one hundred lithographs related to the siege, the Roman defense, and life at the papal court. This meticulous study of the architecture of St. Peter’s Square was likely part of his preparatory process to produce that series of prints. The inscription on this sheet attests to Raffet’s continued presence in the city the following spring, recording a precise set of dates: April 26-30 and May 10-25, 1850.
Artwork Details
- Title: View of St. Peter’s Square, Rome
- Artist: Auguste Raffet (French, Paris 1804–1860 Genoa)
- Date: 1850
- Medium: Graphite
- Dimensions: Sheet: 9 1/2 × 16 1/4 in. (24.1 × 41.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of Roberta J.M. Olson and Alexander B.V. Johnson, 2023
- Object Number: 2023.599.2
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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