Artwork
A Section of the Via Sacra, Rome (The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian)
A Section of the Via Sacra, Rome (The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian) is an oil painting by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. It dates from 1814 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a view of a portion of the ancient Via Sacra in Rome, centered on the early Christian church of Saints Cosmas and Damian.
The painting presents a view of a portion of the ancient Via Sacra in Rome, centered on the early Christian church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. By focusing on this historic street and its sacred building, Eckersberg links the classical urban landscape with contemporary religious architecture, suggesting a continuity between ancient Roman civic space and Christian devotion. The work reflects the early nineteenth‑century scholarly interest in antiquarian subjects and the growing appreciation for ecclesiastical art within European painting.
Its precise rendering of the church’s façade and surrounding pavement underscores a documentary intent while allowing symbolic interpretation of the site as a conduit between past and present faith.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1814, this architectural cityscape is rendered in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 31.4 cm in height and 43.5 cm in width. Stylistically, the painting functions as an architectural study, focusing on the depiction of the Via Sacra and the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Rome.
The composition emphasizes the structural details of the church building within the urban landscape, characteristic of the genre of architectural painting.
History & Provenance
The work titled "A Section of the Via Sacra, Rome (The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian)" was painted by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg in 1814. It is an oil on canvas cityscape depicting the Via Sacra and the church of Saints Cosmas and Damian.
The painting measures 31.4 cm in height and 43.5 cm in width. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view.
No further documentation of a specific commission or earlier owners is recorded in the available sources. Creation history is limited to its execution in oil paint in 1814.
A Section of the Via Sacra, Rome (The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian) is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The painting, created by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg in 1814, is part of the museum's permanent holdings of architectural paintings. Specific inventory or accession numbers for this work are not provided in the available sources. The provided materials do not contain information regarding a detailed exhibition history for this specific artwork.
Overview
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, a pivotal figure in Danish art, completed A Section of the Via Sacra, Rome (The Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian) in 1814. This oil painting captures a specific Roman cityscape, focusing on the ancient church of Saints Cosmas and Damian along the historic Via Sacra. The work exemplifies the artist's early 19th-century contributions to what became known as the Golden Age of Danish Painting. It is currently housed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Context
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg is widely recognized as the "Father of Danish Painting," having profoundly influenced the nation's art during its early 19th-century Golden Age. His period in Rome, where he painted this work in 1814, was crucial for his artistic development. During this time, he meticulously studied classical architecture and landscapes, translating these observations into a distinctive style that would shape subsequent generations of Danish artists.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (2 January 1783 – 22 July 1853) was a Danish painter.
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