- New
Roma - Circo Agonale
| Reference: | S48308.11 |
| Author | James ANDERSON |
| Year: | 1870 ca. |
| Zone: | Piazza Navona |
| Measures: | 260 x 200 mm |
€250.00
- New
| Reference: | S48308.11 |
| Author | James ANDERSON |
| Year: | 1870 ca. |
| Zone: | Piazza Navona |
| Measures: | 260 x 200 mm |
€250.00
Description
Albumen on paper, laid down on original cardboard, circa 1870/77.
The shot captures Piazza Navona in Rome, labeled "Circo Agonale" at the bottom. The square is seen from the north, with the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone and Palazzo Pamphilj on the left side, and the Fontana del Moro and the Agonale Obelisk in the background. In the foreground, one of the fountains is enclosed by an ancient wrought-iron gate, along with historic gas lamps and horse-drawn carriages. The circular gate visible in the period photo was installed in the year of Rome's transition (1870) to the Kingdom of Italy to protect the monument from damage and improper use of the square, which still hosted markets and flea markets. It was finally dismantled during the years of Fascist rule (between the 1920s and 1930s) in conjunction with the resurfacing of Piazza Navona. Piazza Navona was equipped with modern public gas lighting starting in 1869. Those seen in the period photograph at the sides of the fountain are the old gas-powered candelabras. Electricity began to spread steadily throughout Rome's historic center between 1893 and 1897; during this period, many of the old cast iron streetlamps were gradually modified and adapted to accommodate the new bulbs.
This specific photograph is from the catalog of the renowned British photographer James Anderson, founder of the highly influential Anderson Studio, which operated in Rome for a century. The inscription at the bottom left ("Roma 4054 A. Circo Agonale") reflects the official code from his historical archive. The number 4054 was the unique identification code assigned by the studio to this particular view of Piazza Navona.
On the back of the paper support is a photograph of the Cordonata Capitolina and the Palazzo Senatorio in Piazza del Campidoglio, also attributed to James Anderson.
James Isaac Atkinson Anderson (Blencarn, March 11, 1813 – Rome, February 27, 1877) was a British painter and photographer who settled in Rome in 1838. He is mentioned among the painters active in Rome in an 1841 guide, and his signature is found in the Artists' Directory of the Caffè Greco, describing him as "Painter, Via del Muro Nuovo, no. 89," but also as "Anderson James photographer, outside Porta del Popolo, no. 19." This shows how Anderson, who upon coming to Rome must have envisioned building a career as a watercolorist in the ever-thriving market of illustrations and city views—for use by foreigners, but not only—had already begun working with the new photographic technique, creating calotypes (a process patented in 1841). He lived in Rome until his death, creating his own photographic studio, which three generations of Andersons—first with his son Domenico (1854-1938), and then with his sons Alessandro and Giorgio—brought to a lasting international fortune.
James ANDERSON (Blencarn 1813 - Roma 1877)
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James Isaac Atkinson Anderson (Blencarn, 11 March 1813 – Rome, 27 February 1877) was a British painter and photographer who settled in Rome in 1838. He was born into a farming family in the village of Blencarn, Cumbria. After studying watercolour painting in Paris, he arrived in Rome in 1838 and took the pen name W. Nugent Dumbar. Under this name and with three well-received views, he participated in an exhibition at the Palazzina Valadier in Piazza del Popolo in 1839. He was then mentioned among the painters active in Rome in a guide of 1841, and his signature is found in the Rubrica degli artisti of the Caffè Greco, where he is identified under the letter D—on an unspecified date, but prior to 1845, when the Caffè opened the Rubrica—as "Painter, Via del Muro Nuovo, n. 89". Curiously, the same hand signs, under the letter A, a note "Anderson James photographer, outside Porta del Popolo, no. 19." This shows that Anderson, who upon coming to Rome must have envisioned building a career as a watercolorist in the ever-thriving market of illustrations and views of the city—for the use of foreigners, but not only—had already begun working with the new photographic technique, creating calotypes (a process patented in 1841). The artist, an Anglican, settled well in Rome, where he also married (Maria De Mutis, who between 1854 and 1863 bore him four sons, and died of cholera in 1867), and his children were all later baptized Catholics (the city, after all, was still the capital of the Papal States). He lived in Rome until his death, creating his own photographic studio there, to which three generations of Andersons contributed; First with his son Domenico (1854-1938), and then with his sons Alessandro and Giorgio, they achieved a long-lasting international success. The company, founded in 1851, lasted until 1963 when the Società Anonima Domenico Anderson was acquired by an Italian Institute for Cultural Collaboration, based at Via del Collegio Romano 2. The documentary quality of the photographic images—obviously more faithful to life than engravings—was meanwhile conquering the market of travelers, scholars, and antiques enthusiasts, especially foreigners: Anderson soon realized this and intensified his work in this field. In 1851, he then entrusted the distribution of his works to the Spithöver bookshop. In 1859, Anderson published his first and only catalogue (Catalogue des photographies de Rome de James Anderson): 28 pages in 9 x 13 format, with a summary description of 667 photographs.
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James ANDERSON (Blencarn 1813 - Roma 1877)
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James Isaac Atkinson Anderson (Blencarn, 11 March 1813 – Rome, 27 February 1877) was a British painter and photographer who settled in Rome in 1838. He was born into a farming family in the village of Blencarn, Cumbria. After studying watercolour painting in Paris, he arrived in Rome in 1838 and took the pen name W. Nugent Dumbar. Under this name and with three well-received views, he participated in an exhibition at the Palazzina Valadier in Piazza del Popolo in 1839. He was then mentioned among the painters active in Rome in a guide of 1841, and his signature is found in the Rubrica degli artisti of the Caffè Greco, where he is identified under the letter D—on an unspecified date, but prior to 1845, when the Caffè opened the Rubrica—as "Painter, Via del Muro Nuovo, n. 89". Curiously, the same hand signs, under the letter A, a note "Anderson James photographer, outside Porta del Popolo, no. 19." This shows that Anderson, who upon coming to Rome must have envisioned building a career as a watercolorist in the ever-thriving market of illustrations and views of the city—for the use of foreigners, but not only—had already begun working with the new photographic technique, creating calotypes (a process patented in 1841). The artist, an Anglican, settled well in Rome, where he also married (Maria De Mutis, who between 1854 and 1863 bore him four sons, and died of cholera in 1867), and his children were all later baptized Catholics (the city, after all, was still the capital of the Papal States). He lived in Rome until his death, creating his own photographic studio there, to which three generations of Andersons contributed; First with his son Domenico (1854-1938), and then with his sons Alessandro and Giorgio, they achieved a long-lasting international success. The company, founded in 1851, lasted until 1963 when the Società Anonima Domenico Anderson was acquired by an Italian Institute for Cultural Collaboration, based at Via del Collegio Romano 2. The documentary quality of the photographic images—obviously more faithful to life than engravings—was meanwhile conquering the market of travelers, scholars, and antiques enthusiasts, especially foreigners: Anderson soon realized this and intensified his work in this field. In 1851, he then entrusted the distribution of his works to the Spithöver bookshop. In 1859, Anderson published his first and only catalogue (Catalogue des photographies de Rome de James Anderson): 28 pages in 9 x 13 format, with a summary description of 667 photographs.
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