Architectural capriccio with the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, 18th-century Roman painter, follower of Giovanni Paolo Panini, oil on panel

Architectural capriccio with the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, 18th-century Roman painter, follower of Giovanni Paolo Panini, oil on panel Measurements: cm H 48 x W 63.5, frame H 65 x W 80.5 x D 4.4 Price: private negotiation Object accompanied by a certificate of authenticity The work, executed in oil on panel, depicts an architectural capriccio with classical ruins, four figures, a dog, and the Pyramid of Caius Cestius in the background on the right. The painting is inspired by one of the numerous versions with a similar subject made by Giovanni Paolo Panini. In particular, convincing comparisons can be found with the painting made by Panini in the 1740s, now preserved at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Giovanni Paolo Pannini (or Panini; Piacenza, 1691 – Rome, 1765) was a painter, architect, and scenographer. He studied in Piacenza and in 1711 went to Rome where he studied drawing with Benedetto Luti, becoming famous as a decorator of palaces. His success as a painter is due to his views of Rome; he was particularly interested in the antiquities of the city, becoming one of the great masters of the Grand Tour. In 1718, Panini was admitted to the Congregation of the Virtuosi al Pantheon. He taught in Rome at the Academy of San Luca from 1719 and at the Académie de France from 1732. He became one of the leading exponents of metapainting. His works enjoyed vast success and became a source of inspiration for numerous artists. It is in this context that the work in question, of fine pictorial quality and in good condition, should be placed, presented within a carved and gilded wooden frame.