Painting depicting "View of Rome with a rural scene near ancient ruins, with the Palatine Hill from Via dei Cerchi", a high-quality work by PIETER VAN BLOEMEN, KNOWN AS "LO STENDARDO" (Antwerp, 1657-1720) Circa 1690 oil on canvas, 76 x 104 cm, framed 86 x 112 cm Private Collection, Rome Full details at: www.antichitacastelbarco.it A representative and typical testament to Pieter van Bloemen (Antwerp 1657 - 1720), particularly during his stay in Rome, this evocative "Rural Scene with Views of Rome" presents to us a subject that he favoured, which we find on other occasions in his catalogue, with similar but varied concepts to the present one. It was precisely during his Roman years, from 1687 to 1692, that he reached the peak of his career, achieving flattering success, thanks also to the settings with Roman ruins in the background, as confirmed by the presence of his various works in the main art galleries of the Roman aristocracy. To accompany this work, another painting by Van Bloemen is available, of equal size and a similar subject, as well as with the same stylistic and compositional characteristics. This splendid canvas, which is therefore an interesting addition to the catalogue of the Flemish master's works, depicts horses and livestock resting against the background of houses and ancient ruins, in which one can recognise a view of Rome with the Palatine Hill from Via dei Cerchi. From the foreground, with the animals studied and captured from various angles and a single male figure on the left, the representation develops diagonally with the buildings on the right, where other figures appear: a man with his horse, some patrons sitting at the outside table of an inn to whom the innkeeper is bringing drinks. Pieter is clearly linked to the Flemish idiom, while revealing himself to be Italianising in the type of landscape and in the stylistic conduct. While his brother Jan Frans would specialise in pure landscape, of classical inspiration, Pieter combines it in a bambocciante key (genre scenes of everyday life, often with a humorous or grotesque element), preferring rural settings with ancient ruins that form the backdrop to simple daily activities: horses watering, blacksmiths at work, travellers resting at inns, markets. The interest in animals emerges from the constant presence, not only of horses, but also of goats, oxen, crouching dogs, which in fact also here become protagonists occupying the strip of the foreground, according to a compositional scheme rather common in Van Bloemen. In the vast activity of "Lo Stendardo", which is still awaiting cataloguing, one can however cite some paintings that, for their concepts and in particular for their Roman settings, present notable affinities with the pair examined here. For this purpose, one can cite the "Via dei Cerchi" from a private collection, the "Rural Scene" formerly Rospigliosi, the "Horses at the Watering place" from a private collection, the "Roman Scene with various animals" formerly Apolloni collection and the "Campo Vaccino" in the Lille museum, and others, all published in the volume Andrea Busiri Vivi. Scritti d'Arte (U. Bozzi Editore 1990, pp. 71-90). [GIANCARLO SESTIERI] For any information, you are welcome to contact us.