The Riviera di Chiaia, Naples, from the Convento di Sant Antonio, with Vesuvius beyond; Posillipo, Naples, from the Riviera di Chiaia; The Strada Nuova, Naples, looking towards the Castello del Ovo; Naples; and The Strada di Santa Lucia, Naples, from Pizzofalcone to the Ponte della Maddalena

The little we know about the life of Pietro Antoniani is based on a text by the Abbot Pietro Zani: 'pittor di vedute pittor di marine: Patria, Milanese: Merito, bravissimo: operava 1775' ('Painter of views, marine painter. Homeland: Milanese. Merit: Very good. Worked: 1775'; P. Zani, Enciclopedia metodica critico-ragionata delle belle arti, Parma, 1817-1824, cited in N. Spinosa and L. Di Mauro, Vedute napoletane del Settecento, Naples, 1993, p. 204). Of Milanese origins, it is not clear when Antoniani moved to Naples, where he probably trained in the circle of Antonio Joli. His Neapolitan views were popular among British Grand Tourists visiting southern Italy, who sought view paintings by which to remember their trips. He often painted pairs or series for these tourists, such as the four pictures signed and dated 1776, formerly in the collection of Sir Joseph Weld at Lulworth Manor (Christie's, London, 12 December 1980, lot 99), which includes a similar view of Naples taken from the Carmine.