May 9–July 30, 2017
The Getty Center

From Paris to Madrid and Vienna to London, from the Doge's Palace to St. Peter’s Square, Europe’s most iconic cities and monuments have played host to magnificent ceremonies. During the golden age of view painting in the eighteenth century, princes, popes, and ambassadors commissioned artists such as Canaletto and Panini to record memorable moments ranging from the Venetian carnival to an eruption of Vesuvius. This first-ever exhibition focusing on views of historic events includes over fifty works, many never seen before in America. Turning the beholder into an eyewitness on the scene, these paintings bring the spectacle and drama of the past to life.