Landscapes of Memory

The exhibition dedicated to Ettore Roesler Franz 100 years after his death, is an opportunity to gain greater insight into the work of the Roman artist who captured in his watercolours the 'landscapes of memory' - exceptional documents for the urban and social reconstruction of Rome and its environs. His most representative work, the series of 120 watercolours titled 'Roma pittoresca' and painted over the course of 20 years, documents the city before the sweeping urbanistic and architectural changes that commenced immediately after 1870 and is imbued with poignant nostalgia for a world that would soon vanish forever. Seventy-nine Roma pittoresca watercolours portraying the areas of the city most affected by the urban transformation work were chosen for this exhibition; also included are the watercolours documenting the first visit to Rome by King Victor Emmanuel II, Giacomo Balla's celebrated portrait of the artist and several watercolours depicting Roman aqueducts.