An artwork on Galleree from The Art Institute of Chicago.
About the artwork
View of Pirna with the Fortress of SonnensteinBernardo Bellotto (Italian, 1721–1780)
1755/65
Italy
49.3 × 79.5 cm (19 3/8 × 31 1/4 in.)
Oil on canvas
Clyde M. Carr Fund
['18th Century']
['townscapes', 'road', 'wall', 'church', 'clouds', 'sky', 'buildings', 'building', 'trees', 'animals', 'women', 'men', 'horses', 'figures', 'towns', 'fortresses']
['oil on canvas', 'Italian', 'paint', 'painting', 'european painting']
['oil paint (paint)', 'canvas', 'paint', 'painting']
['painting techniques', 'oil painting', 'painting', 'painting (image making)']
Well trained by his uncle, Canaletto, Bernardo Bellotto quickly established his own reputation as a gifted view painter. By 1746 he was appointed court painter to the elector of Saxony in Dresden, who commissioned him to produce cityscapes. Bellotto was subsequently asked to create 11 large-scale paintings of the nearby town of Pirna; the present picture is a reduced but otherwise exact replica of one of those celebrated works. Exalted in Bellotto’s cold, crystalline light, the fortress of Sonnenstein presides over the scene from its hilltop. In the left foreground, townsfolk congregate at a small obelisk that bears the arms of Saxony.
| attributed to Art Institute of Chicago under CC-By license
In the serene embrace of a soft, golden twilight, the tale of Bernardo Bellotto unfolds, his artistic journey woven into the essence of the landscapes he would come to immortalize. Raised under the watchful eye of his uncle, the illustrious Canaletto, Bellotto blossomed into a painter whose reputation sparkled like the sunlight on the waters he portrayed. By the year 1746, his brush brought him the prestigious title of court painter to the elector of Saxony, nestled within the enchanting heart of Dresden.
It was here, amidst the grandeur of the court, that his talent found fertile ground. The elector, captivated by Bellotto’s vision, beckoned him to capture the beauty of the cityscape, commissioning a series of paintings that would echo through the ages. One particular request led him to the nearby town of Pirna, where he embarked on the ambitious task of creating eleven large-scale masterpieces, each a window into the charm of the town.
As the strokes of his brush danced across the canvas, one painting emerged—a captivating scene of the town that would later inspire a reduced yet magnificent replica, the very artwork before us. The fortress of Sonnenstein looms majestically from a hilltop, its strength and serenity harmonizing with the cold, crystalline light that Bellotto so masterfully captured. It stands as a guardian over the tranquil village below, an eternal witness to the lives that unfold in its shadow.
In the left foreground, a group of townsfolk gathers near a small obelisk, its surface engraved with the proud arms of Saxony. It is a moment frozen in time, where the warmth of community can be felt amid the cool hues of twilight. Laughter and conversation ripple through the air, merging with the essence of the landscape, as if nature itself rejoices in their cherished connection. In this enchanting tableau, Bellotto invites us to share in the quiet beauty of existence, reminding us of the stories that breathe life into every stroke of the brush.
About the artist
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