View of the apsidal part of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

Giacomo Van Lint (attribuito) XVIII sec. d.C.

In this View and the other of San Giovanni in Laterano, the approach given is extremely clear and well defined. One of them offers a view of Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, animated by a colourful array of individuals of different conditions and social statuses, who bring the daily rhythm of the city to life; the other offers a view of the apsidal part of Santa Maria Maggiore, also a backdrop to a scene of everyday life.

Technical information

Author: Giacomo Van Lint (attribuito)
Title: View of the apsidal part of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
Date: XVIII sec. d.C.
Material and technique: Oil on canvas
Size: 42x73 cm
Location: Palazzo Pretorio Museum
Second Floor, Mezzanine

The two Vedute (views) present wide-ranging scenarios, seen from above, in which the precision of the forms and the marked attention to the rendering of individual details are the result of a technique that qualifies for logic and formal perfection. There is no trace of uncertainty or insecurity, but everything is dominated by clarity and rigour in the execution of the works. The rhythm is marked by the poses of the groups included in these scenarios and the range of gestures that characterise each individual depicted. The clear, transparent colours that we can appreciate today are the result of cleaning operations carried out to restore the paintings' original colours.
Recently, both have been attributed to the painter Giacomo Van Lint, due to the presence of the initials G.V.L., possibly related to the son of the Nordic painter Franz Hendrick van Lint, who lived in Rome and was a follower of van Wittel, known for his views of the capital that were very fashionable among travellers on the Grand Tour.