Viviano Codazzi

He had moved by 1633 to Naples where he worked on commissions at the Certosa di San Martino resulting from his connections with his fellow Bergamasque Cosimo Fanzago.

A major commission in Naples was a series of four large canvases representing ancient Roman scenes (including one depicting gladiatorial combats in the Colosseum) for the Buen Retiro in Madrid, with figures by Domenico Gargiulo.

The type of decorative architectural paintings that Salucci created represent a form that became popular in mid-17th century Rome.

Architectural canvases were particularly welcome within the typical 17th-century decorative ensemble, where walls were completely covered with paintings of various types and sizes.

The architectural piece lent variety to such ensembles by introducing the strong verticals and horizontals of its subject matter.

[6] Codazzi's vedute where generally more realistic than those of Salucci who showed somewhat greater creativity and liberty by rearranging Roman monuments to serve the purpose of his compositions.

Codazzi was acclaimed in his time as close to the ancient architect Vitruvius among 17th-century painters of architectural views.

[10] It was painted in Naples and shows the old entrance to the Vatican palace, which was destroyed when Bernini's Scala Regia and colonnade were constructed, as well as clock towers (campanili) based on an engraving of a never-executed design by Martino Ferabosco.