
The Ruins of the Imperial Palaces in Rome
This vibrant sheet is preparatory for a fresco of the same subject that Rottmann executed for King Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786 - 1868) as part of a cycle of twenty-eight wall paintings of famous Italian views. These decorated an arcade at Munich's Hofgarten (Garden Court), where they were meant to evoke a journey through Italy. As often with Rottmann's watercolors, a significant part of the image remains unfinished, which reveals his pencil underdrawing technique.
c. 1831
Graphite and watercolor with touches of white gouache
23.5 x 29.2 cm
2009.12
Digital image and text courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program, 2025
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Permanent collection