Place de Venise

Black pencil drawing, mm 359x250.

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.

Preparatory drawing for the lithographic plate Place et Palais de Venise, illumination commemorative du retour de Pie IX de Gaëte illustrating the first chapter of Rome Moderne.

Piazza and Palazzo Venezia are described and illustrated in the section devoted to Via del Corso - la rue plus longue et las plus belle, edited by Edmond Lafond, who as a cicerone accompanies readers on a long and picturesque walk from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia and describes the palaces, villas and squares encountered along Via del Corso:

“Nous voici enfin,au bout du Corso, sur la place de Venise; elle doit son nom à ce grand palais aux dimensions colossales, qui, avec ses créneaux, ressemble à une forteresse; son style sévère du moyen-âge, contraste avec les monuments qui l'entourent” (Rome dans sa Grandeur, Rome Moderne, c. I, p. 40).

The drawing, and thus the panel, show the square illuminated on the occasion of the civic feast held on April 12, which had a double significance: commemorating the return of Pius IX to Rome on April 12, 1850, after the brief experience of the Roman Republic (the Pope had hastily fled the Urbe on the evening of Nov. 4, 1848, to take refuge in Gaeta) and celebrating the Pope's salvation in the incident at Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura (12 april 1855)  where the overcrowded crowd had caused the floor to collapse, causing the Pope along with 130 other people to fall ruinously to the floor below. There were only a few injuries, none seriously, and not a single death. The Pope would speak of a “solenne miracolo.”

“A l'angle du Corso et de la piace de Venise, remarquez cette gracieuse madone ìi qui des anges apportent des fleurs et des couronnes. Pendant le jour, le so!eil lui donne une auréole de gioire; pendant la nuit, elle est illuminée. Notre artiste nous montre la piace de Venise, éclairée de mille feux, le 12 avril, pour une fète chère au coeur des Romains et admirée des étrangers, celle de l'anniversaire du retour de Pie IX à Rome et de sa préservation providentielle à Sainte-Agnès hors les murs” (Rome dans sa Grandeur, Rome Moderne, c. I, p. 40 -41).

The last image, which is not for sale, represents the tinted lithograph included in Rome dans sa grandeur. Vues, monument ancient et modernes, and allows us to compare it with the preparatory drawing.