Proposal for the Trevi Fountain
1730/1732
Medium
pen and brown ink with gray wash on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 14.5 x 24 cm (5 11/16 x 9 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
William B. O'Neal Fund
Accession Number
1999.140.1
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 18th-century Roman architecture with Luigi Vanvitelli *Proposal for the Trevi Fountain* (1730/1732), a delicate drawing that captures the ambition of one of the city's grandest projects. Vanvitelli, a leading Italian architect known for his Baroque flair and later triumphs like the Royal Palace of Caserta, this design amid a prestigious competition launched by Pope Clement XII. Trevi Fountain, envisioned as a monumental Baroque celebration of water and mythology, drew visionary proposals from Europe's finest talents, though Nicola Salvi's design ultimately prevailed. Cr...
About the Artist
Luigi Vanvitelli · 1700–1773
Born 12 May 1700; died 1 March 1773. Famous for his design for the Royal Palace at Caserta, built 1751. Vanvitelli was active in Rome, Naples and nearby towns, also Brescia, Milan and Genoa. Comment on works: Portraits