Giovanni Panini's Modern Rome

 Kamana here! Artist, musician (pianist and drummer), and poet. Dive in we shall👻

This is a painting by Giovanni Panini. It was painted with oil on canvas back in 1757 (with countless refurbishments over the years). 

    This painting holds a dear place in my heart because I grew up with it (well, actually a replica) in the living room back in Japan. Besides the nostalgia I get from merely looking at it, Modern Rome represents the the prominence of art, literature, and philosophy during the neoclassical era in Rome (after the Renaissance). The countless paintings within it are all real paints by the way; and not just that, the paintings are from all over time, but most originated from Italy like Villa Medici, Trevi Fountain, and Fontana Paola. Moreover, there are numerous sculptures in the painting that are, just like the paintings within Modern Rome, real sculptures, like Bernini's David, the Lion of the Villa de Medici, and Michelangelo's Moses. Stainville, the Duke de Choiseul who commissioned the painting, is the person seated in the arm chair in the painting. Giovanni cherished this specific painting and recreated it two more times (the one above is the newest rendition Giovanni did).

    To look at a painting like this nowadays, we're desensitized to the amount of necessary work for a painting like this because digital design and a local Michael's with every imaginable color have deteriorated our appreciation. For instance, look at the shading; the articulate slight discoloration of numerous shades of burgundy on the paintings. Giovanni didn't just stop by his local art store and pick these colors up; he had to synthesize them with precise chemistry. The geometrically detailed arches took hours, if not days or even months, to master. The shadows of the sculptures on the ceiling give an imaginative and lively look to the painting. The motif of the color red is present, with curtains, clothing, paintings, and veils. The hidden trees in the very back and the sunlight beaming through the windows give a sense of openness and vibrancy to the painting. 

Giovanni's art doesn't require he be a mere artist; he must master chemistry and study the human body. In today's world, where there is a specific field of study for every single thing, it's hard to appreciate what it meant to be an artist like this back then.