View of the Quirinal Hill

The protagonist of the canvas is Piazza del Quirinale, amplified and flooded by the light that filters through the clouds.

It is animated by carriages and a colorful context of commoners, pages and Swiss guards.

Ladies and gentlemen populate the square.

There are also nuns and prelates.

The view opens toward the Constitutional Court of Italy (Palazzo della Consulta) by Fernando Fuga (1732–1737), distinguished by its precise rendering of the architectural elements of the building.

With a perspective correction, Giovanni Paolo Panini inserted the Papal Guards, finished by Ferdinando Fuga in 1730,

leaving the Quirinal Palace in shadow, almost in the wings,

from where the pontiff appears on the Benediction Loggia.

At the bottom of the painting, the painter's self-portrait can be seen. He is dressed in a dark suit and is looking at the viewer.

Originally painted for a room in the palace, the panoramic view was moved to the Coffee House in 1742, launching the execution of its matching pair.