Antichità e collezioni napoletane nella Reise nach Italien (1723) di Georg Christoph Martini detto il Sassone
In: Studi e Ricerche del Parco Archeologico di Pompei: 43, 2020
DOI: 10.48255/1166
Georg Christoph Martini’s trip to Naples took place in April 1723. The son of Jacob, painter of the Gotha court, left Vienna with three
other young artists, including Martin von Meytens. The Neapolitan stage closes the first volume of Martini’s work (Reise nach Italien)
and in the second part (Ruck Reise von Neapolis in Rome), the Saxon painter leaves again for Rome on April 24th. After having
presented the geographical framing of the city with Vesuvius, the interest of the traveler immediately moves towards the Phlegraean Fields
starting with his artificial gate from Naples, the Grotto of Posillipo.
Among the ancient monuments of Naples, Martini performs
an
accurate representation of a ruin near Capo Posillipo, the so-called Temple of Fortune. In the visit of the city Martini focuses on the
remains of the temple of Castor and Pollux in front of the church of San Paolo. Talking of San Lorenzo introduces the description of the
monument with the marble statue of the Nile river. Greater interest reveals the visit to the collection of works of art preserved in the
residence of the Carafa of Maddaloni built and decorated by Diomede with his collection of antiquities.