Turner's 'Rome, from Mount Aventine' Returns to Italian Capital Ahead of Auction
The 19th-century masterpiece, inspired by sketches made in Rome, will be displayed for three days before an auction in London.
A significant painting by British artist William Turner, "Rome, from Mount Aventine," has returned to the Italian capital for a special exhibition. The 1835 masterpiece, inspired by sketches made during Turner's time in Rome, will be on public display at the Palazzo Rondinini for three days. This marks the first time the painting has been exhibited in Rome in nearly two centuries.
"Rome, from Mount Aventine" offers a panoramic view of the Italian capital. The work is noted for its remarkable state of preservation, with Sotheby's reporting that it is believed to have never undergone restoration. Traces of fingerprints and brush hairs are reportedly still visible on the canvas.
The painting has a notable auction history, having previously sold for over £30 million. Ahead of its upcoming auction in London this December, Sotheby's anticipates it could fetch approximately £50 million. Sarah Rainsford, the BBC's Southern and Eastern Europe correspondent, had an opportunity for a close-up viewing of the artwork in Rome.