A View of the Piazza del Duomo, Messina, with the Fountain of Orion, the Cathedral to the right 1663 - 1678

Willem Schellinks’s “A View of the Piazza del Duomo, Messina, with the Fountain of Orion, the Cathedral to the right" is a detailed pen and brown ink drawing of the Piazza del Duomo in Messina, Italy. The drawing captures the bustling activity of the square, with people, carriages, and animals congregating around the central fountain. The imposing cathedral dominates the right side of the composition, its clock tower and ornate doorway visible in the distance. This detailed cityscape is characteristic of Schellinks’s work, which often depicted the vibrant architecture and daily life of cities in Italy and the Netherlands. The artist's keen eye for detail captures the unique character of this public space, a testament to his skilled hand and his fascination with the urban world.