Italian Capriccio

In this charming composition, enlivened by busy figures, Carlevarijs depicts a bare, rocky landscape with a series of towers and a group of riders crossing a bridge to a strange fortress. The crenellated ruin recalls the Ponte Nomentano at the gates of Rome, not only in shape but also for the presence of the Papal crest. A town is visible on the other side of the water, its buildings adorned with loggias evoking Italian Renaissance architecture. In the foreground is the river port with its plain boats, where several porters are loading goods.
Carlevarijs, who came from Udine, was a well-known painter of cityscapes. In this work he mixes a classical landscape with the type of architectural capriccio popular in Venice at the time, in which the veduta is conceived and developed almost as a stage set. This approach of Carlevarijs, later also adopted by Canaletto, was inspired by the work of the Flemish painters who were present in large numbers throughout Italy. The light and muted tones resemble the effect of pastels, calling to mind the work of contemporary and fellow countryman Marco Ricci.