Outside Porta Pia, Rome c. 1777 - 1778

Curator: This watercolor, "Outside Porta Pia, Rome," was created by John Warwick Smith, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century. It's currently held in the Tate Collections. Editor: It evokes a real sense of peacefulness. The muted tones and the way the buildings sit quietly in the landscape give it a very tranquil feel. Curator: Smith was part of a wave of British artists drawn to Italy, particularly Rome, during that period. The city held enormous symbolic weight, representing both classical antiquity and the heart of the Catholic Church. Editor: I find myself drawn to the contrast between the solid structures of the buildings and the softer, more ethereal quality of the mountains in the background. It speaks to the enduring power of human creation within the vastness of nature. Curator: Indeed, and in its time, the Porta Pia was a site of contested power, having been built under Pope Pius IV in the 16th century and later stormed during the unification of Italy. Smith’s view here really removes any suggestion of conflict. Editor: It's as if Smith wanted to capture Rome not as a political flashpoint, but as a timeless landscape, laden with cultural memory. A peaceful scene, all told. Curator: A thoughtful observation. It underlines the image’s strength as both documentation and interpretation.