View of the Vatican Palace from the Colonnade of St. Peter’s, ca. 1759–62
Thaw Collection
Mariette sometimes added handwritten captions on the mounts of drawings. He believed, as did other collectors, that understanding the subject of a composition was crucial to enjoying and appreciating a drawing fully. The Latin inscription, which translates “Waiting under the colonnades of Saint Peter’s Square,” clarifies the location of this scene. Mariette collected works by contemporary artists as well as drawings by old masters. He owned over thirty drawings by Panini, who was a member of the French Academy in Rome and who influenced a generation of French draftsmen.