S.te Marie des Anges dans le Thermes de Diocletien

Black pencil drawing, 376x263 mm, lower right, S.te Marie des Anges dans les Thermes de DIòclétien.

Belongs to a collection of 127 works unearthed from a French antiquarian who, in turn, had acquired them from the heirs of publisher Henri-Désiré Charpentier (La Rochelle 1805 - Vertou 1882); they are all done in black pencil, some have white lead highlighting; they never bear the date and signature of the author, but only a brief caption relating to the subjects depicted. The drawings denote a skilled and expert hand - especially in the delineation of buildings, ruins and architecture - that restores the monuments of Rome from interesting and unusual perspective points. The reference of most of the drawings to some of the tinted lithographs by Felix and Philippe Benoist, published in the three-volume work Rome dans sa grandeur, immediately became clear. The fact that this is a large group of original drawings related to the famous work edited by Henri-Désiré Charpentier is clearly supported by the prestigious provenance; it is a part of Charpentier's heir fund, among which the material of the famous chalcographic workshop had been divided.

Rome dans sa grandeur. Vues, monument ancient et modernes was printed in Paris in 3 volumes, in 1870. The publication, illustrated by 100 lithographs, was preceded by a campaign of preparatory drawings, dating from 1864 until 1869, executed mainly by Félix Benoist and partly by Philippe Benoist. On the eve of the Concilio Ecumenico Vaticano I, on August 11, 1869, Pius IX decreed the creation of a Roman Exhibition of the works of every art executed for Catholic worship, which was inaugurated, on February 17, 1870, in the cloister of the Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. On that occasion, the three folio volumes Rome dans sa grandeur were presented. The lavishly bound volumes, with the coat of arms of Pius IX stamped in the center in gold, are divided into three sections. The first volume deals with ancient Rome, the second, with Christian Rome, and the third, with the monuments and achievements of modern Rome. A valuable view of papal Rome on the eve of Rome's profound transformation into the capital of united Italy. A document that highlights the remarkable imprint left by Pius IX on the Eternal City. The work represents the French artist's masterpiece, so much so that it places Benoist among the ranks of the greatest artists of interiors and views of his time.

The sheets used for the preliminary studies vary in size (from 170 mm x 240 to 490 x 300 mm), weight and even color gradation (from beige to green).  Many of the drawings undeniably represent different preparatory stages - more or less complete - of some of the dyed lithographs illustrating the magnificent work, others of the silographic vignettes included in the text, while other sketches do not find translation in print. Belonging to this second group are both sketches relating to monuments and views of Rome and its surroundings: ancient Ostia, Grottaferrata, Olevano Romano, Anzio, Nettuno, Velletri and Vicovaro. Far beyond from Rome are drawings relating to Naples and Loreto. The suite was to form part of the entire fund, later dispersed, of preparatory studies from which the hundred intended for lithographic printing were selected.

Not translated into lithograph for the book, the drawing depicts the exterior of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and Martyrs.

“Dès les premiers temps du christianisme, une église avait été ouverte dans ces thermes; elle portait le vocable de Saint-Cyriaqueet comptait parmi les titres de la ville; mais, au XVIe siècle, cette église était en ruine, et le cardinal Bembo, qui en fut titulaire, n'eut pas de successeur. Le titre de Saint-Cyriaquefut en effet transféré, par Sixte IV, ainsi que nous l'avons dit, à l'église de Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte. Saint-Cyriaque était situé dans la partie des Thermes où s'établirent, plus tard, les Chartreux. […] A peine, au reste, Saint-Cyriaque eût-il disparu que Sainte-Marie-des-Anges prit, sinon sa place, du moins une place plus vaste encore dans les immenses débris de la construction païenne. Cette grande transformation date du règne de Pie IV. Pie, suivant les inspirations de son illustre neveu, Charles Borromée, qui avait acquis de ses deniers les thermes de Dioclétien, donna la plus grande partie de ces thermes aux Chartreux,lesquels y édifièrent un cloître somptueux et ample avec les cellules qu'exige leur ordre. « Puis, le généreux pontife, continue Piazza, se réservant la partie du milieu, qui est vaste et sublime, la réduisit, d'après le beau et magnifique dessin de Michel-Ange Buonarotti, en forme d'église. Cette église fut dédiée par lui à la très-glorieuse Vierge reine des Anges et érigée en titre de cardinal prêtre, titre que Pie IV donna à Jean-Antoine Serbelloni, son neveu” (Rome dans sa Grandeur, Rome Chrétienne, c. I, p. 147).