Lot 232: Pietro Fabris (Naples, active 1756-79)

Pietro Fabris (Naples, active 1756-79)
A capriccio of Benevento with King Charles of Naples and Sicily, subsequently King Charles III of Spain, and his courtiers before the Arch of Trajan, architectural ruins beyond
oil on canvas
30 3/8 x 51 5/8 in. (77.2 x 130.5 cm.)

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The early history of Benevento is lost in legend, as it is said to have been founded by the Greek hero Diomedes after the destruction of Troy. Not very far from Naples and situated on the via Appia, Benevento was a flourishing Roman city, and the Emperor Trajan chose it as the starting point of the via Traiana, a more expedient alternative to the Appian Way linking Benevento to Brindisi. The famous Arch of Benevento, dedicated to Trajan and built between 114 and 117 A.D., celebrated the opening of the new route and, in spite of several earthquakes and the severe damages the city suffered during periods of war, is still well preserved and in situ. The capriccio depicts Charles of Bourbon (1716-1788), Duke of Parma and Piacenza (1731-1735), King of Naples and Sicily (1735-1759) and finally King of Spain as Charles III, possibly in the process of visiting the various provinces of his reign.