St. Paula of Rome Departs for the Holy Land

Giuseppe Bottani

Download hi-res image TITLE St. Paula of Rome Departs for the Holy Land
AUTHOR Giuseppe Bottani
DATE 1745
OBJECT TYPE AND MATERIAL Oil on canvas
DIMENSIONS cm 410 x 231
INVENTORY 410
ROOM XXXIV
FIRMA JOSEPH BOTTAN/FACEBAT ROMAE/ ANNO 1745
Work on display

This painting shares with Batoni’s altarpiece both the handling of light and the inspiration of Raphael’s art. Batoni himself may even have put forward the name of his friend and frequent collaborator Bottani for the church’s one altarpiece still unassigned. When the Hieronymites were suppressed, the church was deconsecrated and its property impounded. The altarpieces were among the first works to go to Brera, where a varied collection was being put together in support of the Accademia di Belle Arti’s teaching programme.