In 1802 Granet went to Rome to study at the French Academy housed in the Villa Medici. Like a number of students, he had a studio in the convent of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti church next door. This experience may have been the inspiration for this painting.
Granet's precision of execution and atmospheric portrayal of light add to the ethereal effect and the sense of order and serenity. However, the calm and tranquil nature of the scene is in strong contrast to the actual convent environment in which Granet would have been working. Following Rome's surrender to the French revolutionary army in 1798, French troops had been stationed in the convent. With the influx of artists as well the building was in a state of neglect and disrepair by 1810. The restoration of the church and convent was undertaken at the expense of Louis XVIII after Napoleon's fall from power in 1815.
- TitleReading lesson in a convent
- Object numberB.M.500
- Collection
- Creator
- Production placeFrance
- Date1810 - 1810
- Production periodFirst Empire
- School/styleFrench
- Object name
- Material
- Technique
- Dimensions
- Length: 99 cm
- Width: 76.8 cm
- Length: Frame 116 cm
- Width: Frame 94 cm
- Depth: Frame 9 cm