A Capriccio of Roman Ruins

Art Historical Context

Step into the enchanting world of Marco Ricci'sA Capriccio of Romanins* (1727/1729), a delicate gouache on kidskin that captures the romance of ancient decay. Created by the Venetian artist Marco Ricci, a master the Baroque landscape tradition, this work exemplifies the *capriccio* genrewhimsical architectural fantasies blending real Roman ruins like triumphal arches and crumbling temples into dreamlike compositions. Ricci, influenced by his uncle Sebastiano Ricci and contemporaries like Canaletto, infused these scenes with dramatic light and atmospheric depth, evoking the grandeur of imperial Rome amid pastoral serenity. Painted during Ricci's brief but brilliant career (he died young in 1730), this piece reflects the 18th-century European obsession with classical antiquity, fueled by the Grand Tour. Travelers and collectors prized such views as souvenirs of Italy's timeless allure. The choice of gouache—an opaque watercolor—on supple kidskin (goatskin parchment) allowed for luminous, jewel-like colors and intricate details on the 30.9 × 45.3 cm sheet, a technique prized for its portability and vibrancy in private sketchbooks. Housed in the National Gallery of Art through the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund, this drawing invites us to ponder time's passage, where history's fragments spark imagination—a perfect gem for any admirer of Italy's eternal legacy.

About the Artist

Marco Ricci · 1676–1730

Marco Ricci (1676–1730) was born on June 6 in Belluno, in the Republic of Venice, into a family steeped in artistic tradition as the nephew of the renowned Baroque painter Sebastiano Ricci. He received his first instruction in art from his uncle, likely during a period in Milan from 1694 to 1696, before accompanying Sebastiano to Venice in 1696, from which he soon fled amid personal troubles. Ricc...