Italian School (mid-19th century), A View of Rome from Monte Mario

Oil on canvas (lined), unsigned, presented in a later gilt frame.

Stretcher size 27 x 41 1/4 in.; Frame dimensions 34 1/2 x 48 3/4 in.

Grand Tour paintings of Italy emerged in the 18th and early 19th centuries as visual souvenirs for wealthy European—primarily British—travelers who undertook extended journeys through the Italian peninsula as part of their cultural education. These paintings typically depicted iconic sites such as the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Bay of Naples, and the canals of Venice, often rendered in meticulous detail and idealized light. Artists like Giovanni Paolo Panini and Canaletto became renowned for their vedute, or view paintings, which blended topographical accuracy with romanticized grandeur. These works not only reflected the travelers’ fascination with classical antiquity and Renaissance achievements but also served as tangible proof of their cultivated tastes and cosmopolitan experiences. As such, Grand Tour paintings played a key role in shaping European perceptions of Italy as a timeless repository of art, history, and natural beauty.

Stable craquelure; minor scattered retouch visible under UV light.