An artwork on Galleree from Minneapolis Institute of Art.
About the artwork
The Piazza del Popolo, Romec. 1660
Artist: Johannes Lingelbach
Dutch, 1622 - 1674
Genre scene. The Piazza del Popolo
22 3/4 x 28 7/8 in. (57.79 x 73.34 cm) (canvas)
31 1/2 x 37 x 5 in. (80.01 x 93.98 x 12.7 cm) (outer frame)
Oil on canvas
Painting
Netherlands
17th century
The John R. Van Derlip Fund
In the quiet moments of life, stories emerge, weaving threads between past and present. This is where we find Johannes Lingelbach, a name often whispered among admirers of Dutch art. Though he carries the essence of the Netherlands, his roots trace back to Germany, where a younger Lingelbach first dreamt of canvases and colors. At the tender age of fifteen, he found his way to Amsterdam with his parents, setting the stage for a voyage that would forever alter his artistic destiny.
As the years rolled forward into the late 1640s, Lingelbach's path led him to the sun-kissed streets of Rome. Picture him wandering the lively cobblestone roads bathed in golden light, every corner filled with the whispers of history. For several years, he absorbed the vibrant pulse of the city, returning to Amsterdam with the warmth of southern Europe etched in his heart.
In one remarkable piece, he captures a scene from the bustling market on the Piazza del Popolo—the first canvas that greets weary travelers arriving from the north. This plaza, with its dynamic atmosphere, became a palette for Lingelbach’s imagination. He wasn’t content merely to replicate reality; no, he rearranged the very fabric of Rome. The fountain, a centerpiece of life, finds a new position under his brush, while the church of Santa Maria del Popolo appears transformed, a gentle nod to the artist’s desire to mold the world around him.
In his art, Lingelbach diminishes the distance between observer and image, inviting us not just to look, but to see beyond the surface. Here, within the thrumming heart of a market alive with possibility, we are reminded that every canvas is a universe waiting to be explored. Each stroke tells a story, echoing with the laughter and chatter of the people, capturing a fleeting moment in time that lives on, forever suspended in paint.
About the artist
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