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CIRCLE OF GASPER VAN WITTEL, CALLED IL VANVITELLI (ROME, 1653-1736)
View of Palermo
Oil on canvas, 59 x 104cm
Gaspar Van Wittel, known in Italian as Il Vanvitelli, was a Dutch painter and...
CIRCLE OF GASPER VAN WITTEL, CALLED IL VANVITELLI (ROME, 1653-1736)
View of Palermo
Oil on canvas, 59 x 104cm
Gaspar Van Wittel, known in Italian as Il Vanvitelli, was a Dutch painter and draughtsman who had a lengthy career in Rome. He played a pivotal role in developing the genre of Veduta, or topographical views, which became a painterly specialism in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries.
This work of the View of Palermo, showing the cultural and historical capital of the island of Sicily, reflects these highly detailed and large-scale compositions. In the painting we can see the monumental city gate, Porta Nuova, to the left-hand side, which represents the entrance to the Cassaro, the main thoroughfare and most ancient street in the city. It was built to commemorate Charles V's conquest of Tunis and his subsequent visit to the Sicilian capital. The gate is formed with a typical central triumphal arch flagged by four telamone sculptures of Moorish figures, referencing Charles V’s defeat over the Ottoman Empire. The buildings adjoining to this are the Royal Palace of Palermo, or Palazzo dei Normanni, originally constructed in the 9th century by its Islamic rulers, and then subsequently taken over by the Norman conquerors who established it as the main residence for future Kings.
The foreground is dominated by the heavy castellated city walls projecting and receding along the boundaries of the capital and drawing our eye to the buildings in the background on either side. The cityscape is the main focus of the work, with the artist paying particular attention to the architectural features of the differing Norman and Italian styles of building. The vantage point chosen by the artist seems to be from a hill looking down towards the city, which is reflective of the position of the Palace at the highest point of the ancient centre of Palermo. The gate and the palace stood on the traditional western side of the city.
The foreground is enlivened with the steady stream of horse drawn carriages coming to and from the main gate. The trees are in full bloom, with thick luscious green leaves while in the far distance there is a small glimpse of the blue sea and a view of what is probably the hill of Monte Pellegrino. There is a distinct mix of individuals represented by the artist, courtiers, ordinary citizens, workers and travellers, reflecting the diverse range of classes populating this 17th century port city.
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