Description

This original 1827 lithograph, titled Vue du Capitole, represents a high-water mark for early 19th-century French printmaking. The work is a collaboration between two notable figures of the era: Jean Alaux, a Grand Prix de Rome winner known as Le Romain, and the architect Jean-Baptiste Cicéri Lesueur.

The composition captures the dramatic ascent to the Campidoglio, centered on one of the monumental Dioscuri statues (Castor and his horse) that guard the Cordonata. To the left, the medieval facade of the Basilica di Santa Maria in Aracoeli provides a sharp architectural contrast to the Renaissance elements of the square. Beyond the architecture, the print is populated by a dense crowd of figures, offering a vivid look at Roman street life and the pilgrimage culture of the 1820s.

The piece was produced by Godefroy Engelmann, the most influential lithographer in France during this period. His technical mastery is evident in the delicate stippling and the nuanced grey tones that capture the distinctive quality of Roman light. This specific plate is a prime example of the topographical art sought after by elite travelers on the Grand Tour.

Artist: Jean Alaux (1786–1864) and Jean-Baptiste Cicéri Lesueur (1794–1883). Lithographer: Godefroy Engelmann. Date: 1827. Medium: Original lithograph. Inscriptions: Signed in the stone "Alaux et Lesueur 1827" (lower left) and "Lith. de Engelmann" (lower right). Title: Vue du Capitole (in lower margin).

Search Keywords

19th Century French Art Jean Alaux Le Romain Jean-Baptiste Lesueur Godefroy Engelmann Lithography Rome Italy Grand Tour Antiquities Capitoline Hill Piazza del Campidoglio Cordonata Capitolina Dioscuri Statue Horse Tamers Santa Maria in Aracoeli Neoclassical Architectural Print Roman Topography 1820s Antique Fine Art Print.