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This picture is thus described in the Royal Academy Catalogue for 1820: “Rome from the Vatican—Raffaelle, accompanied by La
Fornarina, preparing his pictures for the decoration of the Loggia;” and the Official Catalogue of the Sational Gallery describes
the scene thus: “Immediately in front is the Piazza of St. Peter’s, beyond which are seen the castle and bridge of St. Angelo,
with the greater part of modern Rome and in the extreme distance the Apennines, the higher summits being covered with snow.” This
appears to us to be one of the least successful of Turner’s pictures; the opening through which the view of Rome is seen is very
awkwardly managed. and the large building just beyond has a singularly ungraceful effect:
the way in which the centre is burdened with ill-arranged articles, and the un graceful attitude of Raffaelle, gives one
rather the idea of an auctioneer arranging r 1ots for a sale than an artist preparing his pictures. The corridor on the right is,
perhaps, the best part of the picture; but it is singularly out of keeping with the rest of it. Altogether the picture is not in
any way worthy of the artist.
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