A Romantic 19th-century river view of the papal fortress, Castel Sant’Angelo, and the Ponte Sant’Angelo
This highly detailed engraving depicts the massive cylindrical structure of Castel Sant’Angelo, which originally served as the mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian. The fortress is topped with the bronze statue of the Archangel Michael sheathing his sword. To the right, the Ponte Sant’Angelo (Bridge of Angels) spans the Tiber River, adorned with Bernini’s famous statues of angels holding the instruments of the Passion. In the foreground, a picturesque scene of everyday Roman life unfolds with figures fishing from a small rowboat and from the rocky riverbank, providing a stark contrast to the monumental papal architecture behind them
Papal fortresses; Roman bridges; Tiber River landscapes; Imperial Roman mausoleums; Grand Tour topography.
Published by Giuseppe Antonelli, this print served as a high-end Grand Tour souvenir for wealthy European travelers. It beautifully documents the structure’s dual identity as both an ancient imperial tomb and a heavily fortified Renaissance papal castle used for defense and as a prison.
Detailed descriptions of paper quality, margins, and preservation state.
Direct history of the collection’s origin.
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