Panini, Giovanni Paolo

Panini, Giovanni Paolo (or Giovanni Paolo Pannini) (or Gianpaolo Panini) (b Piacenza, 17 June 1691; d Rome, 21 Oct. 1765).
Italian painter. He trained as a quadraturista and stage designer in Piacenza, then in 1711 settled in Rome, where he became the pre-eminent painter of real and imaginary views of the city. He was the first painter to make a special feature of ruins—an aspect of his work that links him with Hubert Robert and Piranesi—and he also did paintings of public festivities and events of historical importance. Panini taught perspective at the French Academy in Rome and his influence was strong with French as well as Italian artists. He was a prolific painter and many galleries have examples of his work.