Rome: A View of the Port of Ripa Grande (detail)

This sweeping view of the Ripa Grande in Rome is a depiction of the Eternal City’s main river port, giving today’s viewers a glimpse into daily life at the end of the 17th century. The right side of the painting shows the Via Marmorata, along which marble from the quarries at Carrara was transported, while on the opposite bank are the main ramps of the port, near the Customs House, with the tower of the church of the Santa Maria in Torre behind it. Beyond this are also the Pamphilij palazzina and the church of Santa Maria in Capella, the only building in this group that remains today. Though seen far in the distance, the Capitol serves as the centrepoint of the composition.