Artwork
The Cloisters of the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome
The Cloisters of the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg. It dates from 1813 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
A monk is included in the scene, grounding the architectural view in the daily life of the religious order associated with the site.
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg's 1813 painting depicts the cloisters of the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome. The work focuses on the architectural setting, specifically illustrating an arcade within the monastery complex. A monk is included in the scene, grounding the architectural view in the daily life of the religious order associated with the site.
As an architectural painting and cityscape, the composition represents the quiet atmosphere of the monastic environment through its depiction of the stone structures and the solitary figure.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg in 1813, executed in oil paint on canvas. Wikidata lists a second inception date of 1816 alongside the primary 1813 attribution, indicating some uncertainty about the precise year of completion.
The work is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, which is also its current location. No further details of commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg's painting The Cloisters of the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen. The work, created in 1813, depicts the architectural setting of the Santa Maria in Aracoeli monastery, including its arcade and a monk. While the piece has been associated with dates ranging from 1813 to 1816, it is currently maintained by the Danish national art museum as part of its permanent holdings.
Overview
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg painted this view of the cloister belonging to the Franciscan monastery of Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome in 1813. Executed in oil on canvas, the work records a tranquil courtyard framed by a series of arches, with a solitary monk in a brown habit standing near the center. The composition emphasizes the weathered stone walls, faint fresco fragments and the play of light across the uneven floor.
Technique & Style
Rendered in a neoclassical manner, the painting displays precise draftsmanship and a restrained palette typical of Eckersberg’s approach. Careful modeling of light and shadow defines the stone surfaces, while the subtle gradations of tone convey atmospheric depth. The brushwork remains smooth, allowing the architectural forms to appear solid and the figure to integrate seamlessly within the space.
Context
Eckersberg’s visit to Rome coincided with a broader fascination among Northern European artists with classical and Renaissance sites. The depiction of Santa Maria in Aracoeli’s cloister aligns with contemporary travel sketches that documented historic monuments, serving both as artistic study and as visual record for audiences back home.
Artist & collection
Artist
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg
Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (2 January 1783 – 22 July 1853) was a Danish painter.
Bella and Hanna. The Eldest Daughters of M. L. Nathanson
Familien Nathanson
View of Lake Fure near Rudersdal, North Sealand.
A View towards the Swedish Coast from the Ramparts of Kronborg Castle
Landscape with a Stile. The Isle of Møn
Renbjærg Tileworks by Flensburg Fiord
View of the Cloaca Maxima, Rome
Street Scene in Windy and Rainy Weather
- The Cloisters, San Lorenzo fuori le mura
The Cloisters of the Franciscan Monastery Santa Maria in Aracoeli in Rome
Monks in the Cloister of the Church of Gesù e Maria, Rome
The Cloisters of San Lorenzo fuori le mura in Rome
Cloister of the Halberstadt Cathedral
The Cloisters of San Lorenzo fuori le mura in Rome
Cloister in Venice