Goffredo Wals, 'The Walls of Rome', about 1616-1630s
The Walls of Rome
On loan: Gere Collection Paintings to the Ashmolean (2024 - 2026), The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford, UK About the work
Overview
The atmosphere of peace and purity in this painting is underscored by the strong shadows cast by the towers. Although the site is probably imaginary, the walls may be inspired by the Aurelian walls near the Porta di San Paola in Rome, of which the artist made a pen and brown wash drawing. The motif of the towers with arched windows and vegetation growing on them also appears in one of his paintings on copper.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Walls of Rome
- Artist
- Goffredo Wals
- Artist dates
- about 1590/95 - late 1630s
- Date made
- about 1616-1630s
- Medium and support
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 30.2 × 38 cm
- Acquisition credit
- The Gere Collection, on long-term loan to the National Gallery
- Inventory number
- L873
- Location
- On loan: Gere Collection Paintings to the Ashmolean (2024 - 2026), The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford, UK
- Image copyright
- The Gere Collection, on long-term loan to the National Gallery, © Private collection 2000. Used by permission
- Collection
- Main Collection
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.