Ettore Forti (active late 19th - early 20th century) - Lot 90

Ettore Forti (active late 19th - early 20th century) Chariot race in the Circus Maximus Mixed media on paper (gouache and watercolor with opaque highlights) Signed lower right: "E. Forti Roma". Sight size: 36 x 57 cm Framed in gilded wood, under glass This work depicts a chariot race in the Circus Maximus, in the heart of ancient Rome. The composition features a quadriga racing at full speed, surrounded by spectators in tiers and architectural elements evoking ancient monuments. The treatment emphasizes the movement of the horses, the tension of the coachman and the animation of the audience. Ettore Forti was active in Rome in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is known for his scenes inspired by Roman antiquity: chariot races, gladiator fights and architectural reconstructions. His work was part of the Italian historicist movement of the period, marked by archaeological interest and demand from amateurs and travelers for evocative views of ancient Rome.