View of the Piazza del Popolo, Rome, 1741. Giovanni Paolo Panini. Oil on canvas. Purchase: acquired through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
Giovanni Paolo Panini’s topographical views of Rome are among the finest of the 18th century. The Piazza del Popolo was the principal entry point into the city for travelers coming from the North. In the center of the Piazza is the red granite obelisk brought to Rome by the Emperor Augustus (63 B.C.E.–14 C.E.). Behind the obelisk, between the two churches, lies the Via del Corso, a major thoroughfare of the city. To the far left are the Villa Medici, today the seat of the French Academy, and the Church of Trinità dei Monti with its two towers.
