Masterpiece of the Week: Canaletto’s “The Pantheon,” 1742

The Pantheon
Canaletto, 1742
The Royal Collection

In 1742, British art collector Joseph Smith commissioned Italian master Canaletto to create five vertical views of Rome in the same style in which he’d rendered scenes of Venice. The paintings were clearly intended to be displayed in a particular room in Smith’s home and arrived in England unframed. They never made it to Smith’s house as he sold them to King George III before he could enjoy them himself. George III had the paintings framed and hung in the entrance hall at Buckingham House (now Buckingham Palace) so that his wife, Queen Charlotte could enjoy them in her private home.


One of the finest of the lot is this painting of the Second Century temple of the Pantheon which was dedicated to all of the gods. Like its brothers, this painting features an unusually large and prominent signature. This phenomenon was by particular order of Smith who wanted everyone viewing to know he had purchased works by Canaletto. Though Smith never really got the bragging rights, George III most assuredly enjoyed adding this masterpieces to his growing collection of Italian masterpieces.