Bartolomeo di Giovanni “The Rape of the Sabine Women” and “The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines” at the Colonna Gallery in Rome

Bartolomeo Giovanni, The Rape of the Sabine

Bartolomeo di Giovanni “The Rape of the Sabine Women”

Tempera on wood (70 x 155 cm) 1488

Originally, these two paintings were part of the Salviati family collection in Florence and were considered to be Botticelli works.

Sent to the Salviati residence in Rome in 1699, still as Botticelli works, they were part of Caterina Maria Zeffirina Salviati's dowry when she married Fabrizio Colonna in 1718, but this time as works by Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Bartolomeo di Giovanni, Peace between the Romans and the Sabines at the Colonna Gallery in Rome

The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines

Bartolomeo di Giovanni “The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines”

Tempera on wood (70 x 157 cm) 1488

It was not until 1909 that they were definitively attributed to Bartolomeo di Giovanni, who had been a pupil of Ghirlandaio.

The themes of the Rape of the Sabine Women and the Peace between the Romans and the Sabines were among those commonly found in 15th-century paintings.

Bartolomeo Giovanni, The Rape of the Sabine Themes that highlight marriage as an element of peace based on the importance of offspring.

Hereis the legend of the founding of Rome, described in numerous Latin texts.

To emphasise the Roman character of these two themes, Bartolomeo di Giovanni painted monuments of ancient Rome in the background.

Di Giovanni had been able to contemplate these monuments during his stay in Rome as Domenico Ghirlandaio's assistant for the frescoesin the Sistine Chapel.

Bartolomeo di Giovanni, The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines at the Colonna Gallery in Rome

The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines In “The Rape of the Sabine Women”, the Pantheon can be seen between Trajan's Column and the Militia Tower.

In “The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines”, the Colosseum is depicted between the Pyramid of Caius Cestius and the Arch of Constantine.

It should be noted that the Colosseum is depicted in its entirety, because the part that is currently missing was still present at the time: this was before its stones were removed to build new palaces.

It is believed that these two paintings adorned the front of two chests.

Their dimensions are almost identical.

The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines The two paintings are placed side by side to emphasise the contrast between the violence of the abduction of the young girls and the gentleness of their reunion with their families, to whom they present their children.

This reunion highlights the peace-making value of alliances through marriage, which will seal this unity thanks to numerous descendants.

On the one hand, there is a scene of panic and total disorder; on the other, a peaceful scene where children become the key element of the painting.

Two paintings with vibrant colours and powerful staging.

Bartolomeo Giovanni, The Rape of the Sabine

The Peace between the Romans and the Sabines

Peace between the Romans and the Sabines