Object of the Day: “Pienza Near Montepulciano, Italia” by Robert J. Inness

I’ve mentioned the artist Robert J. Inness before. I’ve collected a few of his paintings over the years and am always impressed by his ability to capture the essence of a place. His attractive and colorful landscapes and cityscapes are brilliant representations of the spirit of the location.


This painting of “The Duomo” in the center of the square of the Italian town of Pienza is another mesmerizing study in the beauty of nature wedded to the ingenuity of man. Here, we see the façade of the town’s church—one of the earliest examples of Renaissance architecture. In fact, Pienza is considered to be the “touchstone of Renaissance urbanism.”

Inness often uses the sky to dramatic effect. This painting sets the façade of the cathedral against a calm sky. The base of the cathedral and its Germanic campanile are washed in shadow—the scale of the building reinforced by the silhouettes of a couple—thus making the architecture seem jewel-like. The whole of the scene is presented as seen through an archway of the loggia in front of the cathedral, thereby giving the painting an intimacy which belies the grandeur of the scene.

Such cleverness in composition reminds us of masters like Canaletto and Vermeer who presented urban scenes as if they were precious gems. These paintings call to us to reevaluate the way in which we view the world we see each day.