Pieter van Bloemen (Anversa 1674-1720)

Painting depicting "View of Rome with rural scene near ancient ruins, with the Palatine Hill from Via dei Cerchi", a high-quality work by PIETER VAN BLOEMEN KNOWN AS «LO STENDARDO» (Antwerp, 1657-1720) circa 1690 oil on canvas, 76 x 104 cm, with frame cm 86 x 112 Private Collection, Rome Full details on: www.antichitacastelbarco.it A representative and typical testimony of Pieter van Bloemen (Antwerp 1657 - 1720), in particular of his stay in Rome, this evocative “Rural Scene with Views of Rome” exposes us to a subject dear to him, which we find several times in his catalogue, with similar inventions but varied from the present ones. It was during his Roman years, from 1687 to 1692, that he reached the peak of his career, obtaining flattering successes, also thanks to the settings with Roman ruins in the background, as confirmed by the presence of various of his works in the main art galleries of the Roman aristocracy. To match the present work, another painting by Van Bloemen is available, of equal dimensions with a similar subject, as well as with the same stylistic and compositional characteristics. This splendid canvas, which is therefore an interesting addition to the catalogue of the Flemish master's works, depicts horses and herds resting against the background of houses and ancient ruins, in which it is possible to recognize a view of Rome with the Palatine Hill from Via dei Cerchi. From the foreground, with the animals studied and taken from various angles and a single male figure on the left, the representation develops diagonally with the buildings on the right, where other figures appear: a man with his horse, some patrons sitting at the outside table of an inn to whom the innkeeper is bringing drinks. Pieter is clearly linked to the Flemish idiom, while revealing himself as Italianizing in the type of landscape and in the stylistic conduct. While his brother Jan Frans will specialize in pure landscape, of classical inspiration, Pieter combines it in a bambocciante key, preferring country scenes with ancient ruins that form the background to simple daily activities: horses drinking, blacksmiths at work, rest of wayfarers at inns, markets. The interest in animals emerges from the constant presence of goats, oxen, crouching dogs, as well as horses, which in fact also here become protagonists occupying the band of the foreground, according to a rather usual compositional scheme in Van Bloemen. In the vast activity of the Stendardo, which still awaits a cataloguing, it is possible to mention some paintings which, due to their inventions and in particular their Roman settings, present considerable affinities with the couple examined here. For this purpose, we can cite the "Via dei Cerchi" in a private collection, the "Rural Scene" formerly Rospigliosi, the "Horses at the Watering Hole" in a private collection, the "Roman Scene with various animals" formerly Apolloni collection and the "Campo Vaccino" in the Lille museum, and others, all published in the volume Andrea Busiri Vivi. Scritti d’Arte (U. Bozzi Editore 1990, pp. 71-90). [GIANCARLO SESTIERI] For any information, you are invited to contact us.