Location

Country: Holy See
City: Vatican City
Place: British Embassy

This print shows a 17th-century view of the Piazza della Rotonda in Rome. Animated by street vendors and passers-by, the site includes significant architectural features such as the Church of Santa Maria della Rotonda or the Pantheon and Giacomo della Porta’s fountain designed in 1575 and executed by Leonardo Sormoni under Pope Gregory XIII. 

Built during the time of Agrippa (29–19 BC) as part of a complex placed in Campo Marzio, the Pantheon was later used as a church dedicated to St Mary and the Martyrs (7th century). In the Renaissance it functioned as a burial place for some of the most important artists of the time including Raphael, Annibale Carracci and Baldassare Peruzzi. 

As seen in the print, the circular building is preceded by a portico of large Corinthian columns supporting an architrave. This is followed by a rectangular vestibule with two towers built by the architect Carlo Maderno. The rotunda is graced by a coffered concrete dome with an opening or an oculus at the top.

Below the image, on the left is an elevation of the interior of the Pantheon showing the coffered dome and on the right, a plan of the entire building. A cartouche in the form of a heavy drapery hanging at the bottom centre displays the title, a dedicatory note and a key to the surrounding buildings and churches.

Domenico de’ Rossi was an Italian sculptor and engraver working in Rome. He was the son of Giovanni Giacomo de’ Rossi, an important publisher whose print shop near the church of Santa Maria della Pace was the oldest in Rome. Domenico’s published volumes include views and elevations by various artists of baroque churches, palaces and sculptures in Rome. Among these are 'Studio d'architettura civile di Roma' (1702, 1711, 1721) and 'Raccolta di statue antiche e moderne' (1704).

Places

Italy, Rome: Pantheon, Rome

Subjects

carriage, topography, architectural plan/technical drawing, townscape/cityscape, dog, horse, man, archaeological site, public square, shop-front, house, temple (religious building), church, dome, portico, coffering, fountain

Materials & Techniques

engraving

Artist

Domenico de Rossi

Title

Piazza e Tempio di Santa Maria della Rotonda gia l’Antico Pantheon

Date

1693

Medium

Engraving

Acquisition

Presented by Sir Victor Perowne

Inscription

On "tapestry/cartouche" bottom centre of image: PIAZZA E TEMPIO DI SANTA MARIA DELLA ROTONDA / GIA L'ANTICO PANTHEON / Dedicato à Giove vltore et a tutti gli Dei col famoso Por= / tico di Agrippa nobilitato da traui e coperture di bronzo / in sieme con la testudine interiore del Tempio / A Scrittione che si trouano nella fascia dell/Architraue della facciata / IMP.CAES.L.SEPTIMIVS.SEVERVS.PIVS.PERTINAX.ARABICVS.ADIAVENICVS / PARTHICVS.PONT.MAX.TRIB.POT.XI.COS.III.PP.PROCOS.ET. / Altra Scrittione sotto la detta fascia / IMP.CAES.M.AVRELIVS.ANTONIVS.PIVS.FELIX.AVG.TRIB.POTEST.V.COS. / PROCOS.PANTHEVM.VETVSTATE.CORRVPTVM.CVM.OMNI.CVLTV.RESTITVERVNT / B. Fontana in mezzo la Piazza F. Chiesa di Santa Maria sopra / Minerua / C. Chiesa del Giesu G. Palazzo di S.r. Altieri / D. Campidoglio / E. Chiesa dell Araceli H. Palazzo de Sig.r Crescienzi / Data in luce da Domenico de Rossi Erede di Gio Giac. de Rossi dalla Sua / Stamperia in Roma alla Pace con Priuil. del S. Pont. e lic. de Sup. l'Anne 1693. / il di 15. Ottobre. [ to left of cartouche is cross section of Pantheon: PARTE INTERIORE DEL TEMPIO (top) / Misura del Palmo Romano (bottom) (with scale); to right, plan of temple: PIANA DI TVTTO IL TEMPIO (with scale).

Provenance

Presented by Sir Victor Perowne, Minister to the Holy See, c.1949-51

GAC number

0/824