Piazza Navona Antico Circo Agonale dell'Imperatore Severo Alessandro...

Piazza Navona antico Circo Agonale dell'Imperatore Severo Alessandro edificata su le ruine di esso col Prospetto delle sue magnifiche fabriche e fontane abbellita dalla santa memoria di Papa Innocentio Decimo.

Etching, 1693, lettered with title with a key numbered 1 to 10 in the margin to the image; with 'G.Wouters Cavalier delin et sculp.' and 'data in luce da Domenico de Rossi Erede di Gio. Giac. de Rossi dalle sue Stampe in Roma alla Pace con Privil. del Som. Pont. e licenza de Sup. l'Anno 1693 il di 6 Maggio'.

A wonderful and rare view of Piazza Navona, engraved by Gomar Wouters for the publisher Domenico de Rossi. It is dedicated to the memory of Pope Innocent X Pamphili (d. 1655), who commissioned Gian Lorenzo Bernini to create the Fountain of the Four Rivers, inaugurated in 1651. The view of the square, in its final and current version, with all the fountains and the church of Sant'Agnese, is enriched by a lively animation enhanced by the theatre of comedians.

“È notevole, oltre alla consueta animazione, la scenetta del teatrino coi commedianti. Sono riportate anche le misure della piazza in palmi architettonici” (cf. Ravaglioli, Piazza Navona, p. 54).

Gomar [Gommarus] Wouters was a painter and engraver, born in Antwerp. From 1674 until his death, he lived in Rome as a collaborator of Vanvitelli. He contributed to the publications of the Dutch engineer and scientist Cornelis Meyer. In 1680, he was recorded as living in Strada della Croce, dal Corso, with Abraham Genoels and Jacob van Staverden. In 1692, he was still there with four other Dutchmen. In 1694, he was recorded as living at Via Margutta no. 89, with fellow Italians Pietro Fuolityser and Marco Vacche.

A magnificent work, rich in tone, printed on contemporary laid paper, with very thin margins on the right and left and wider margins at the top and bottom. In good condition, except for the usual central fold and two small holes in the center, which have been restored.

Bibliografia

Hollstein, Dutch and Flemish etchings, engravings and woodcuts c.1450-1700, n. 3; Ravaglioli, Piazza Navona, 1973, p. 54.