Italian Landscape, perhaps the Monte Mario, Rome

Art Historical Context

In 1659, Dutch artist Jacob van der Ul captured the timeless allure of Rome in *Italian Landscape, perhaps the Monte Mario, Rome This delicate drawing, executed in pen and brown ink with brown and gray washes on a sheet measuring 11 9/16 x 15 11/16 inches, exemplifies the 17th-century fascination among Northern European artists with Italy's ancient grandeur. Van der Ulft, traveled extensively in Italy, blended meticulous line work with subtle washes to evoke atmospheric depth, creating a panoramic view of rolling hills, ruins, and distant cityscapes—hallmarks of the Dutch Italianate landscape tradition. The composition likely depicts the vantage point of Monte Mario, a hill overlooking Rome, where artists like van der Ulft sketched *vedute* (views) immortalizing the Eternal City's layered history. Ruins in the foreground nod to Rome's imperial past, while hazy hills recede into infinity, showcasing wash techniques that mimic the soft Roman light. As a preparatory drawing from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it highlights the era's topographic precision, bridging cartography and poetry. This anonymous 2005 gift invites us to trace van der Ulft's footsteps, offering a window into how 17th-century travelers reimagined Italy's landscapes for eager Dutch audiences back home.

About the Artist

Jacob van der Ulft · 1627–1689

Comment on works: History; Views; Views with small figures; Ruins