I have a vivid memory of being placed next to this structure while playing Geoguessr with my friends one English class. We all went completely different places, none of us getting it correct, so as soon as I saw a 300 year old painting of the same place, I knew I had to cover it.

(view the full sized image here)

I gave identifying info about this work to Perplexity with the instructions to research it and tell me all the interesting things it could about the work. Here’s what we got:

The Arch of Septimius Severus: A Venetian Master's Roman Journey

In the heart of the Roman Forum stands an ancient marble arch, its weathered stones bearing witness to imperial triumphs and medieval transformations. But in 1742, this monumental gateway became the star of a remarkable painting—a canvas that would capture not just the architecture of antiquity, but the ingenious artistry of Giovanni Antonio Canal, better known as Canaletto.

What the Painting Shows

Against a backdrop of Roman grandeur, Canaletto presents us with the Arch of Septimius Severus (Italian: Arco di Settimio Severo), though he casts it in his own distinctive theatrical light. The massive white marble triumphal arch dominates the composition, its three openings—a grand central passageway flanked by two smaller arches—creating dramatic interplays of light and shadow. To the right, the shadow of the church of Santi Luca e Martina falls across the ancient stone, creating a poetic dialogue between Christian and pagan Rome. Small figures populate the scene like actors on a stage, some carrying guidebooks as they admire the monument, their colorful clothing providing vivid contrast against the weathered browns and whites of the stonework.

A Painting Born from War and Innovation

The story behind this masterpiece begins not in Rome, but in Venice during a time of crisis. The War of the Austrian Succession had erupted in 1740, dramatically reducing the number of wealthy British tourists who typically flocked to Venice for their Grand Tours. For Canaletto, whose livelihood depended on these affluent travelers purchasing his vedute (view paintings) as souvenirs, this presented both a challenge and an opportunity.

Enter Joseph Smith, the British consul in Venice and Canaletto's most important patron. This shrewd collector and entrepreneur had been commissioning works from Canaletto since the late 1720s, building an extraordinary collection that would eventually find its way to the British Royal Collection. In 1742, as Venice emptied of tourists, Smith commissioned something unprecedented: five large vertical views of Rome's greatest monuments.

The Master's Roman Memories

What makes this commission remarkable is that Canaletto likely hadn't set foot in Rome for over twenty years. The painting was based on sketches he had made during his youth, around 1720, when he worked with his father on theatrical productions. These precious drawings, made when he was just twenty-three years old, had been carefully preserved—visual notes that would prove invaluable decades later.

The young Canaletto had walked through the Forum with sketch pad in hand, capturing the arch with the inscription "Antonio Canal Dellineo... IN ROMA" on each drawing. One drawing even bears the date "Augusto X 1720," marking August 10, 1720, as he experimented with translating the grandeur of Roman monuments onto paper.

A Theatrical Vision of Ancient Rome

Canaletto's theatrical training as a scene painter profoundly influenced his approach to this Roman subject. He didn't simply reproduce what he had sketched decades earlier—he transformed it into something more dramatic, more emotionally resonant. The vertical format he chose (unusual for architectural subjects) emphasizes the monument's imposing height, while the low viewpoint makes viewers feel small before its ancient grandeur.

The Arch of Septimius Severus itself tells a story of imperial triumph. Built between 202-203 AD to celebrate Emperor Septimius Severus and his sons Caracalla and Geta's victories over the Parthians, it originally bore inscriptions honoring both sons. But history added its own dramatic twist: when Caracalla murdered his brother Geta, all references to the younger prince were chiseled away in an act called damnatio memoriae—condemnation of memory.

The Church's Shadow and Medieval Survival

The shadow cast by the church of Santi Luca e Martina in Canaletto's painting is more than artistic effect—it's a testament to the arch's survival. During medieval times, the church (dedicated to artists and built by the painter-architect Pietro da Cortona) had been constructed right against the ancient arch. This proximity, rather than damaging the monument, actually protected it from destruction and pillaging.

By Canaletto's time, the Forum was still partially buried, with the arch emerging from accumulated earth and debris like an ancient giant. The area around it buzzed with the mixture of pilgrims, scholars, and tourists that would continue to characterize the site for centuries to come.

Technique and Innovation

Canaletto created this painting using oil on canvas, employing techniques refined over decades of veduta painting. The work measures approximately 180.3 cm in height by 105.7 cm in width, and bears his signature and the date 1742. Scholars debate whether he used sketches provided by his nephew Bernardo Bellotto, who was in Rome in 1742, or relied entirely on his own twenty-year-old drawings.

The precision and atmospheric effects that made Canaletto famous are fully evident here. Some scholars believe he used a camera obscura—an optical device that projected images onto a surface for tracing—though others argue his skill came from pure observation and theatrical training. What's certain is his ability to manipulate reality for dramatic effect, subtly adjusting proportions and perspectives to create the most compelling composition possible.

The Journey to Royal Hands

This painting became part of one of the most significant art transactions of the 18th century. In 1762, King George III purchased Joseph Smith's entire collection en bloc for £10,000—roughly £1.4 million in today's money. The acquisition included not only this and four other Roman views by Canaletto, but also the collector's remarkable library, which became the foundation of what is now the British Library.

The painting was originally displayed in Buckingham House (now Buckingham Palace) alongside Smith's other Canaletto acquisitions. Today, it remains in the Royal Collection, a testament to the vision of both its creator and its first patron.

Giovanni Antonio Canal: The Artist Behind Canaletto

Giovanni Antonio Canal was born in Venice on October 18, 1697, the son of Bernardo Canal, a theatrical scene painter. The nickname "Canaletto" ("little Canal") distinguished him from his father, though it would eventually become more famous than his given name. His early training in theatrical scene painting proved crucial to his artistic development, teaching him the dramatic use of perspective and the importance of creating convincing architectural spaces.

After his formative Roman experience in 1719-1720, Canaletto returned to Venice and began painting the topographical views that would make him famous. His first documented work, the "Architectural Capriccio" of 1723, already showed his mastery of combining real and imaginary architectural elements. By the mid-1720s, he had emerged as the premier painter of Venetian views, supplanting his older rival Luca Carlevarijs.

Canaletto's genius lay in his ability to blend meticulous architectural accuracy with theatrical drama. He painted "from nature" more than most artists of his time, but he never hesitated to adjust reality for compositional purposes. His paintings were described by a contemporary agent as being "like Carlevaris, but you can see the sun shining in it"—a testament to his revolutionary use of light and atmosphere.

The artist's career spanned the golden age of the Grand Tour, when wealthy Europeans, especially the British, traveled to Italy to experience its classical heritage and commission souvenirs of their journey. Canaletto's partnership with Joseph Smith made him the premier supplier of such mementos, his workshop producing hundreds of views that found their way into country houses across Britain.

Between 1746 and 1756, Canaletto himself traveled to England, painting views of London and English country estates. Though successful, these works never achieved the magical quality of his Venetian and Roman scenes—perhaps because, as one contemporary noted, Canaletto needed the unique light and atmosphere of Italy to work his particular brand of magic.

When Canaletto died in Venice on April 19, 1768, at age 70, he had transformed not just how people saw Venice and Rome, but how they understood the relationship between art and place. His influence on landscape painting would persist for generations, but perhaps no single work better demonstrates his ability to capture both the grandeur of the past and the artistic vision of his present than "The Arch of Septimius Severus"—a painting that transforms ancient stone into eternal poetry.

And that's it!

If you have any details you think Perplexity left out, reply to this email and I'll adjust my prompt to nudge it to include it next time.

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Thanks for reading!

-JP

Current prompt: I want you to create a newsletter post describing the fun and exciting stories around a painting. It should be a newsletter read for leisure and should be an enjoyable read (not just a list of facts) here's what you’re gonna do: Find the name of the following painting in its original language and any alternative names it goes by. Then Research the painting and give me blurb telling me all you can about the artist, the historical context/events it was created in, the style, the materials used, the composition and visual elements, the story/underlying message, what inspired the work/what it meant to the author, and whatever other info you find that helps give a complete understanding of the work. A description of what is depicted (mention subjects) should be the first thing, while the “biography” of the artist should be last. if the work has a lot of meaning behind it, then that is what the meat of the newsletter should be. Besides that you are free to present the information in a concise and captivating way, with the most interesting and novel stuff closest to the top. Order the presentation of information for which pieces have the most compelling and interesting story to tell. At least some of the description should be formatted like a story. [for example: a couple sits on a bench watching the sunset while a man next to them…]. ONLY include information that is for THIS SPECIFIC PAINTING. you will find info on paintings similar to this one but NOT this one. OMMIT INFO ABOUT SUCH PIECES. remember, the goal is to make the most compelling, intriguing, and fun to read newsletter as possible, so keep that above all else.