Eyewitness Views: Making History in the Capitals of Eighteenth-Century Europe

From Paris to Madrid and Vienna to London, from the Doge’s Palace to St. Peter’s Square, Europe’s most iconic cities and monuments have played host to magnificent ceremonies. During the golden age of view painting in the eighteenth century, princes, popes, and ambassadors commissioned artists such as Canaletto and Panini to record memorable moments ranging from the Venetian carnival to an eruption of Vesuvius. 

This first-ever exhibition focusing on views of historic events includes more than fifty spectacular paintings—many never seen before in America—from an international array of lenders. Turning the beholder into an eyewitness on the scene, these works bring the spectacle and drama of the past to life.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.