Tomasso Bigatti (Italian, active circa 1800)
The Temple of Vesta, Tivoli; The Basilica of Maxentius in Rome; Ponte Milvio, Rome; The Arch of Constantine
gouache on vellum
21 x 38.5 cm
8 ¼ x 15 ¼ in
Frames: 34 x 51 cm
8 ¼ x 15 ¼ in
Frames: 34 x 51 cm
631a
Further images
A set of four views of archaeological ruins of Ancient Rome set within with borders incorporating classical motifs. Little is recorded about Tommaso Bigatti, a decorative painter of the late...
A set of four views of archaeological ruins of Ancient Rome set within with borders incorporating classical motifs.
Little is recorded about Tommaso Bigatti, a decorative painter of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who gained recognition for his mural compositions. His work showcased scenes of popular landscapes including Roman ruins such as these, and reproductions of well-known paintings, all framed within decorative borders featuring masks, scrolls, fruit, and beasts in the classical style. Bigatti also produced fan designs, some with similar architectural subjects.
This set of four paintings exemplifies the high-quality goods that discerning travellers of the early nineteenth century sought to acquire during their European Grand Tours. In the paintings, locals and tourists can be observed living around and admiring the architecture in the landscapes, while the elaborate borders recall the murals found in popular sights in Rome or Pompeii. It is possible that the compositions could have been used to create full scale mural decorations; but they are finished to a high level of detail and are completed works of art in their own right rather than solely scheme designs.
Related examples of Bigatti's work can be found in The National Gallery, Washington (Accession numbers 2017.126.2 and 2017.126.3) also showing his use of borders created with classical motifs.
Little is recorded about Tommaso Bigatti, a decorative painter of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries who gained recognition for his mural compositions. His work showcased scenes of popular landscapes including Roman ruins such as these, and reproductions of well-known paintings, all framed within decorative borders featuring masks, scrolls, fruit, and beasts in the classical style. Bigatti also produced fan designs, some with similar architectural subjects.
This set of four paintings exemplifies the high-quality goods that discerning travellers of the early nineteenth century sought to acquire during their European Grand Tours. In the paintings, locals and tourists can be observed living around and admiring the architecture in the landscapes, while the elaborate borders recall the murals found in popular sights in Rome or Pompeii. It is possible that the compositions could have been used to create full scale mural decorations; but they are finished to a high level of detail and are completed works of art in their own right rather than solely scheme designs.
Related examples of Bigatti's work can be found in The National Gallery, Washington (Accession numbers 2017.126.2 and 2017.126.3) also showing his use of borders created with classical motifs.