Architecture & Design · 19th century
€ 440
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Good condition overall. Light age-related toning and scattered foxing, mainly confined to the margins. The image remains strong and well-defined. No significant tears or restorations noted.
This refined 19th-century lithograph depicts the interior of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, one of the city’s most important and oldest Marian churches. Created by Félix Benoist after Bayot and published in Paris in 1869, the print belongs to the celebrated series Rome dans sa Grandeur, a monumental visual project dedicated to presenting Rome as a cohesive historical and architectural whole.
The print is offered unframed, enabling custom framing to personal or interior preferences.
The composition draws the viewer into the vast nave of the basilica through a carefully constructed central perspective. The long colonnades, richly ornamented coffered ceiling, and rhythmic succession of arches emphasize the basilica’s grandeur and classical harmony. Figures in contemporary 19th-century dress animate the scene, providing scale and a sense of daily life within this monumental sacred space. Their presence bridges past and present, reinforcing the idea of Rome as a living city shaped by centuries of continuous use.
Benoist’s lithographic style combines architectural precision with a subtle atmospheric softness. The interior is rendered with exceptional attention to structural detail, decorative reliefs, and spatial depth, while the light filtering through the nave creates a calm, almost reverential mood. As with other plates from Rome dans sa Grandeur, the image goes beyond topographical documentation, offering instead an idealized yet highly informative vision of Rome’s architectural legacy.
This lithograph is particularly appealing to collectors of architectural prints, ecclesiastical interiors, and 19th-century views of Rome. Its balanced composition and elegant tonal range make it highly suitable for interior display, whether in a classical setting, a study or library, or a refined contemporary space where historical architecture provides visual gravitas and cultural depth.
Condition report:
Good condition overall. Light age-related toning and scattered foxing, mainly confined to the margins. The image remains strong and well-defined. No significant tears or restorations noted.
Framing tips:
A wide ivory or warm off-white mat enhances the architectural depth and perspective. Frames in dark walnut, ebonized wood, or muted antique gold complement the subject matter. Museum glass is recommended to protect the paper and preserve tonal subtlety.
Technique: Lithograph
Maker: Félix Benoist after Bayot, Paris, 1869
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