ARARPI0313705
Painting by Pietro Paltronieri, area of
Architectural Capriccio with Figures
Tempera on canvas. This work harks back to the work of Pietro Paltronieri, known as Mirandolese (a native of Mirandola in Emilia Romagna). In 18th-century Bologna, a taste for landscapes featuring ruins was widespread: there was a large production of canvases in which architectural capriccios, manipulated in classical styles, were inserted into landscapes and rural or coastal views, expressing a unique decorative sensibility inspired by the theatre. Collaboration between figure painters and set designers was also common. Among these was Pietro Paltronieri, known as Mirandolese, who assumed a sort of dominance over his colleagues. Paltronieri worked in Bologna, and this work comes from a private collection there. It depicts a large architectural complex in ruins with a crenellated and turreted palace and, in the foreground, a large loggia above a funerary monument, at the base of which a kneeling figure can be glimpsed. Other figures can be glimpsed in the background, but are not currently visible. It is ideal for a backdrop for a theatrical performance or, at the very least, as a wall decoration in a private setting used for public relations. The work, previously restored and relined, unfortunately currently exhibits several widespread paint losses. It is presented in an antique frame.
